Shake it off!
God is not mad at you.
God is not punishing you.
God is not the author of pain or sickness.
God is not condemning you.According to Romans 8:1, there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who walk according to the Spirit.
Matthew 7:9-11, “What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
The Lord reminded me today about Paul being shipwrecked on the Isle of Malta. This story is found in Acts 28. After they made it to shore, Paul went around collecting wood for the fire. Out of the wood came a snake that bit him. All the islanders thought he must be a murderer cursed by god and that he would die.
However, Acts 28:5 says, “But he (Paul) shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.” When he didn’t swell up or suddenly fall dead, the islanders were puzzled. They didn’t know Paul. They had never heard of him. They also didn’t know God (yet).
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 says we are living epistles. Our lives are open books read by everyone around us.
Sometimes, in the process of doing what God has called us to do, bad stuff happens. In this case, the apostle Paul was a prisoner being transported on a ship. That ship crashed when Paul went to gather wood for a fire, a snake bit him. It would have been easy to think maybe Paul had done something to upset God. This doesn’t sound like favor, does it? Still, Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose.
God used that snakebite incident on the Isle of Malta as a miracle sign. When Paul was invited into Publius's home, he had an opportunity to pray for his father, who was sick with fever and dysentery. He was healed when Paul prayed for him and laid his hands on him. When the islanders heard about this, they brought all their people who had diseases to Paul--and they were all healed.
All for the glory of God.
So, friends, if you’re going through rough times, remember that seasons change, and you'll get through it if you don’t give up. Shake that snake off and keep moving forward. God loves you, and He’s a good Father. Watch and see how He will turn things around. Jesus is the conquering King, and Love always wins.
