The only monument in the world built in the shape of a bug—to honor a bug—is located in Fort Rucker, Alabama. In 1915 the Mexican boll weevil invaded southeast Alabama and destroyed 60 percent of the cotton crop. In desperation, the farmers turned to planting peanuts. By 1917 the peanut industry had become so profitable that the county harvested more peanuts than any other county in the nation. In gratitude, the people of the town erected a statue and inscribed these words, “In profound appreciation of the boll weevil, and what it has done as the herald of prosperity.”

The instrument of their suffering had become the means of their blessing.

God is a God of purpose. We may not always understand His purpose, but we can be sure He definitely has one. Something may initially look terrible to us, and yet all the while God intends to show His glory by working something good from it.

We see an example of this truth in the biblical account of the death of Lazarus as recorded in John 11:1-44.

We are told that Lazarus was sick. His sisters Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus saying, “He whom You love (so well) is sick” (v.3). When Jesus received the message, He said the sickness was not unto death but in order that God might be glorified. Instead of going to Lazarus and healing him, Jesus waited until he died. By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, Lazarus had been in the grave four days. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He could have kept him from dying, but He let him die so people could see the miracle-working power of God and know that nothing is too hard for Him.

We wonder sometimes why God waits so long to come to our rescue or why He allows certain things to take place. We cannot always figure out what God is doing, or why He is doing it, but if we trust Him, He will make something wonderful from it.

By faith I keep pression on!