“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

Do you ever feel like “everything” is going wrong? Are you struggling with relational problems, issues at home, fatigue, declining health, work related grievances, debt, prejudice, unemployment, or one of the hundreds of other challenges that are encountered through life. The story of Grandma’s cake teaches a valuable lesson for times of difficulty:

After an especially trying time at school Tommy arrived home in tears. “I just can’t take it anymore,” he said to his grandmother who was visiting for the week. “I get picked on nearly every day.” “Well why not have a snack and we’ll talk about it,” said Grandma as she continued mixing some batter in the bowl. “Sure,” said Tommy. “What have you got?” Grandma picked up a bottle of oil sitting on the counter and offered it to Tommy. “Here, try some cooking oil,” she said. “Gross!” replied Tommy with a look of incredulity on his face. “Well how about a couple of raw eggs?” “Grandma!” exclaimed Tommy. “Would you like some flour then? Or maybe some baking soda?” “Grandma, those are all yucky!”  To which Grandma replied, “Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us encounter the yucky things in life – why we have to go through difficult times. But God knows that when He puts everything in His order, they always work together for good! We just have to trust Him, and eventually He makes all things beautiful in His time.”