Man, life can sometimes be crappy, right?! Actually, life can sometimes be more than crappy; it can feel like you are drowning in the stuff. And then there are levels of crappiness from spilling coffee on your laptop to dying from cancer or worse!
I recently heard a lady talk about how she was raped multiple times by multiple men who sold her as a slave and then ransomed her for money. I mean, can you imagine that?! Yet, there she was standing as a beautiful whole person shining from the inside out with love and fire. Hearing that lady’s story really brought some perspective in my life about how I regard and define ‘crappy’ in my life. Sheez, spilling coffee on my laptop really does not seem so extremely crappy anymore, right?
I couldn’t shake the implications of this lady’s story for a couple of days after hearing it. That out of the crappiest situations something can grow. In fact, something will always grow, be it wisdom, love, understanding, compassion, etc., or hatred, shame, malice, bitterness, etc. It is our choice. Yes, you heard me right. It is our choice as to what will grow out of the poop in our lives. For those of us who have – say – lost a loved one, it is infuriating to hear someone say, “God will turn it around for the good,” because at that point you are literally drowning in poop and cannot see anything other than that. However, the saying still remains true – if you choose it. It might take a while for the ‘good’ to be produced, but it will be produced, because we know that seeds need fertiliser/manure to grow.
When planting season is in full swing, you will know about it just by the putrid smell of manure in the air. A farmer knows the importance of good manure for good growth. The same principle is true in our lives. When God wants to grow something in you you can be sure that testing (when the pawpaw hits the fan) is coming. This is the time when you make sure you are getting plenty of sunshine and water (yes, you get it; Jesus time) so that the God-seed can germinate and grow into what God has in store for it. If you don’t let Jesus into that situation, your seed will sprout out of the darkness and will be malformed (malicious).
So, when testing and trials come, that manure can also be the very food the seed needs. With this foreknowledge, you can navigate a crappy situation with the hope of timely growth.
Now you know why I have chosen this title Don’t Waste Your Poop! (If indeed it is poop because not everything is poopy – let’s get some perspective, friends.)
I want to dedicate this post to a dear friend of mine who has championed this principle for me for decades. She has overcome brokenness, poverty, racism, sickness and cancer all with a radiant Jesus-is-my-Champion smile on her face! Thank you, my china, for allowing God to grow a beautiful garden out of your crappy situations. A garden so many can stroll through with delight.
Romans 5:3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 8:28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.