…But God
(A portion of this article was retrieved from https://lisaappelo.com/but-god-bible-verses/, on 10/18/23)
This past month has been crazy. It feels like we have been hit from every angle. I jokingly call it, “My mini Job experience.”
My husband has been experiencing severe pain since Memorial Day of 2022. He’s been to the family doctor, chiropractors, and specialists. He’s tried heat, ice, rest, and physical therapy all to no avail. Then one day, he decided to change orthopedic doctor’s…this new doctor showed him an x-ray and explained that what my husband needed was a hip replacement.
We began down the path of preparing for surgery and time off work. We immediately filled out the required paperwork for short-term disability and dropped it off at the doctor’s office. They assured us that it would be filled out and turned in that day, if not, the next. That battle went on for nearly a month, resulting in worries of the financial impact it would have on our paying our bills on time.
In the midst of all this, I went out to the garage one day to discover that the garage was infested with small moths. The eggs most likely came in with the dog food and then hatched and spread out into an open bag of sunflower seeds we were storing in there. I’m not sure how many moths there were, but it seemed like thousands. They were everywhere. I had already disposed of the dog food, so my husband took the sunflower seeds and dumped them in the yard for the deer.
As if this wasn’t enough, our dog woke up with pink eye about a week later and I experienced a sudden burst of light and shadows in my left eye about a week after that. Both which required trips to the doctor’s/vet’s office.
…We almost lost the dog when he took off after a deer that came to eat the sunflower seeds that Ed had dumped in the yard, we had a couple home improvement things going on, we’ve lost friendships, had people speak against us and Ed had problems with his hip replacement that landed him in the emergency room and then the hospital for 5 days. As the old commercial used to say, “Calgon take me away!”
Some days life just seemed to be more than I could handle.
…But God. I knew in my heart of hearts that even though I couldn’t handle it, God could. I knew that He would see me through and He has and is still working it all out. You see, God is our kinsman, redeemer. What the enemy intends for evil – to steal, kill and destroy our faith, our families, our friendships and much more – God uses for His glory. He redeems our story for himself.
He did it over and over again in the Bible:
Genesis 8:1
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
Genesis 31:7
Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.
Genesis 48:21
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers
Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8T
he LORD did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth. But the LORD loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.
1 Samuel 23:14
David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
1 Kings 5:4
But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.
2 Chronicles 20:15
And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Psalm 49:14-15
They are like sheep and are destined to die. . . .But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Jonah 2:6
To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit.
Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Acts 2:24
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Acts 3:15
You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.
Acts 7:9
And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:10
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him . . . But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . .
Ephesians 2:1,3;4-5
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. . . and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved . . .
If you are feeling down and wondering how you are ever going to get through your circumstances, remember …but God.
These verses tell us that our circumstances DO NOT get the last word.
The enemy DOES NOT get the last word.
Death and disease DO NOT get the last word.
Because there is always…a “but God.”
When you are feeling overwhelmed and like you are in the midst of your own “mini Job” experience, remember to focus on things above, not on the things in this world. Look for your “but God” in the midst of your storm.
“Heavenly Father, thank you that your promises are yes and amen! Thank you that you have provided and continue to strengthen us day by day. Thank you that no matter how I feel at the moment, you always have the last word.” In Jesus name, Amen
Photo credit: Cindy Smith, Check out more of her work on FB at “Traveling with Jesus.”
Cindy is an amazing photographer who loves to encourage others by sharing her photos and words of encouragement.