Before President Reagan left office in 1988, he gave an interview to Tom Brokaw where he talked about some of the disappointments he faced in his life. At one point, he was engaged to a lovely young woman, but life took them in different directions and she married someone else. As you might know, his marriage to his wife Nancy is one of the legendary love relationships in American history. He also talked about coming home to Dixon, Illinois after graduating from college and applying to be the manager of the sporting goods section at Montgomery Ward. He had been a fairly prominent high school athlete in that area and believed he had a good chance at the job. He was deeply disappointed when he was not chosen. But a few weeks later he unexpectedly came upon an opportunity to audition to be a sports announcer in a small market. That was a relatively new business at that time and he was not competing with a lot of experienced people. He got the job and began announcing sports events on the radio. He moved from small markets to bigger markets. His career announcing sports eventually took him into the entertainment industry, which took him into politics, and he became the President of the United States, won the Cold War, and changed the world.
Hearing these comments, Brokaw said, "so, if you had gotten that job at Montgomery Ward . . ." The President broke in and said, "might still be working there!" and Brokaw added "instead of President of the United States." President Reagan insightfully commented that often things he thought were tragedies at the time led to the miraculous things that happened later.
There are many examples in the scriptures of the same idea. Our faith is tested and, if we trust in him, eventually things work together for our good (Romans 8:28). Having faith amid trials is not always easy. I am sure that when Joseph was sold into Egypt he felt a deep hollow ache inside. I am sure when he went to prison for a crime he didn't commit, it was hard for him to continue to trust that the Lord knew what he was doing. Joseph recognized that God had used the evil acts of other people to raise Joseph to power and accomplish his glorious purposes (Genesis 50:20).
The promise of the Lord to make everything work together for our good is not just for princes. It is for every faithful believer. Often when something feels like it has gone terribly wrong in our lives, our Father in Heaven is taking us to a new place. He is closing one door to open other more advantageous doors for us.
We want to help you open new and wonderful doors! Learn about our 6-step approach to dating with more confidence and ease. For a summary of the course, watch Courting with Confidence and for more in depth information, watch our Courting with Confidence WEBINAR. To integrate these steps into your dating journey, take our fun, innovative, highly effective course: Courting with Confidence.
LILY Pod: When One Door Closes
LILY Tube: The Gifts of Failed Relationships
LILY Short: Consistency is the Key to Success
LILY Coaching is available to support you individually. Simply visit loveinlateryears.com to schedule a FREE Consult with Jeff or Cathy. We will provide you with a roadmap to your desired destination!
To heal from relationship loss and create more love in your life, read Intentional Courtship (available on Amazon).
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