Cacti, worms, and other gifts from God

I'm still processing the concept I pondered in my last post titled 'when prayers seem to make the situation worse'. There are no straight-forward answers, but a murky picture seems to be emerging that points back to the sovereignty of God, no matter the outcome of our prayers. We just can't see the big picture like God does.

Chung-Ming Kao, writing from prison, captured this truth beautifully:

"I asked the Lord

for a bunch of fresh flowers

but instead he gave me an ugly cactus

with many thorns.

I asked the Lord

for some beautiful butterflies

but instead he gave me

many ugly and dreadful worms.

I was threatened.

I was disappointed.

I mourned.

But after many days,

suddenly,

I saw the cactus bloom

with many beautiful flowers

and those worms became

beautiful butterflies

flying in the wind.

God's way is the best way."

Sometimes we give up before the cactus blooms and the caterpillars metamorphose...we don't have the patience, we want the answer NOW.

But God simply says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Thank You, Lord, for the cactus and the worms, not just because of what they'll become, but because of the work they do in me in the meantime. Your Grace is sufficient for me.