LOOK FOR THE GOOD: Goodbook 02-13-12

Goodbook messages arrive every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a Scripture reading and ideas for how to apply the reading in our lives. We are reading through the book of Acts. For additional Scripture reading, you can follow the Advanced Track.

Reading: Acts 16:1-2 (Advanced Track: Joshua 22-24; Judges 1-2)

¹ Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

Application:

I don't know how Paul did it. This is the second time Paul went back to Lystra after being nearly stoned to death in this city while on a missionary trip. You might think he would never want to set foot in a place like that ever again. But I'll bet he was glad that he did.

This time back, Paul heard about a young man named Timothy. The people in the town spoke well of Timothy. As we'll see in the upcoming verses, Paul will take Timothy under his wing, thus beginning an incredible mentor/partner relationship in ministry.

The lesson I take out of this is that you can always find good if you look for it. Paul had a really bad experience in Lystra. He almost lost his life there. He could have easily labeled the place bad or the people bad. He could have stayed far away. Yet he did not. He continued to go there and keep his eyes and ears open for what God was doing. As a result, Paul found good in that place. God brought someone wonderful into Paul's life.

We cannot choose what happens to us in life, but we can choose how we will respond. We can make a choice to look for the good in every place, every situation, and every person. This is not just wishful thinking. We have a God who can bring good from all things. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose," (Romans 8:28).

So the next time you find yourself tempted to label a situation as bad, or a place as bad, or a person as bad, stop and take a breath. Pray. Remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to God's purpose. And then...

1) Look for the good.

Comment with your faith thoughts and applications…