Have you noticed how many things have multipurpose uses? I once thought that a corner edge of a wall was simply an edge to hold the wall up. Yes, but it has another use. A back scratcher. As a child, a pot was used to cook food, but it was also a drum. A broom is for sweeping the floor; however, it’s also a fly swatter or a bug killer. Even people are multipurpose. We’re parents, students, leaders, counselors, employees, and the list goes on. But we’re all of these at the same time. Last but not least, God is the epitome of multipurpose. He’s a Savior, Deliverer, Healer, Teacher, Just Judge, Redeemer, Lion, and a Lamb. And yes. He’s all of those at the same time. The same goes for our experiences for they are multipurpose.
The Story: 2 Chronicles 12
In 2 Chronicles 12, King Rehoboam established his kingdom and all Judah abandoned the law of the Lord. Their disregard for God led the king of Egypt to take possession of Judah and the surrounding cities. As a result, the prophet advised King Rehoboam of the reason for their situation. The King and his leadership humbled themselves and acknowledged the righteousness of God.
The Lord saw their humility and decided that he wouldn’t destroy everyone. He would allow a remnant to remain. Also, their punishment would be multipurpose. As slaves, they would know the repercussions of turning against God and the difference between serving God and serving other countries. Therefore, the Egyptian king took everything from the Lord’s house as well as the king’s.
The Lesson
As the punishment for Judah was multipurpose, the same goes for our experiences. When we go through challenging things, we look for someone to blame. Who caused me to be in this position? This was also the case of the man born blind in John 9. Yes, this could be the result of some mistake. However, there’s a far greater purpose. The main purpose is to point us to God for direction and dependence. No matter what we experience God desires to be at the center. He wants to lead and guide us through this life.
Yet, there’s still another purpose. The second purpose is one we must discover. Is the purpose to show us a difference between our way and God’s way? Are we to change direction? Is this for our enrichment and edification? Maybe this is the path to a greater destiny? Only time will reveal the multipurpose use.
Unfortunately, we rarely discover the purpose of the situation. We’re busy trying to remove ourselves from the discomfort of the situation. Since we don’t like the position we’re in, we devise escape plans. However, we find ourselves in repeat situations because we didn’t discover the multipurpose use. To discover the multipurpose function and grow from the situation, let’s consider the following:
- Know that God’s in control. Nothing happens without God’s permission. Ask Job. There’s a purpose for everything He does.
- Seek God. Since God’s in control, we need to seek Him for guidance and understanding. He’s not some dictator we can’t approach, but a loving Father, who desires the best for us.
- Pause. When God hasn’t given us direction, we are to pause. If we move on our own, we will see the situation again. Therefore, we pause so we can grow.
- Reflect. When the situation is over, reflect on the multipurpose. Why this way? What are we to learn from this experience? Reflect so we can learn.
Cease looking for the way out and discover the lesson.
