Our Daily Dose

Turn-Around
Luke 7:11-17
“Turnaround will never happen until you learn to thrive in the midst of adversity.”
-Jamelle Sanders
Ever had a really bad day...bad week, or even a bad season? You know, a time when things looked completely bleak, and just when you thought that all hope was gone, suddenly, God turned things around.
The other night, my husband and I did something that we rarely ever do. We sat down in the living room after dinner and watched an episode of Wheel of Fortune. In this particular episode, there was a young lady, who was doing fairly well, but ended up going bankrupt THREE TIMES! Yet, somehow, she ended up winning the game, and get this. She even ended up winning BIG in the bonus round! Right then and there, I had an epiphany. No matter how bad things look, God is always able to turn your situation around.
Okay, we can take it a step further and say that this is not only one woman’s epiphany, but technically; it’s a spiritual truth. Time and time again from Genesis to Revelations we see God turning situations around. He did it for Moses when he was trapped at the Red Sea and He did it for David when he went up against a 10-foot giant. And recently, I read a passage in which He turned things around for a widow who was in the process of burying her only son. According to the text, Jesus saw the widow and had compassion on her and told her not to cry. Then, watch what happened next.
“He stepped forward and touched the stretcher on which the dead man was being carried. Those carrying him stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother (Luke 7:14-15).”
This particular passage of scripture reminded me of three truths pertinent to our relationship with Christ.
He sees. In the process of wherever He was headed and whatever He was doing, Jesus stopped and took note of the woman’s travail. And, not only that, but He was there. He saw her and He sees us because He is always there.
He has compassion. According to the text, “When He saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry (Luke 7:13).” Whatever pain you’re going through and whatever struggles you’re currently facing, remember that not only does Jesus see you, but He also feels for you and longs to lessen your pain.
He is able to turn things around. One of the reasons why I love this text so much is because the situation is beyond hopeless. We’ve seen other situations throughout the bible where people were sick, and Jesus healed them. But, here, we’re not even talking about a person; let’s be real. We’re talking about a corpse. Yet, even still, Jesus TURNS THINGS AROUND. Do you not know that if He did it for a grieving widow; He can also do it for you?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced quite a few valleys throughout my life. I’ve lost jobs, suffered financial loss, experienced severe pain and sickness and even had some people abandon me when I needed them the most. Perhaps you might even find yourself in one of those places now. But just like the widow from the text (and even like that woman from Wheel of Fortune), the key to experiencing your turnaround is to keep pressing forward and to keep trusting God. Just when you least expect it, He’ll turn it around.
Think About It: Have you ever experienced or witnessed a “turn-around” situation with Jesus? What was the outcome and how did the experience impact your faith?