Finding Good out of bad

[This is to encourage a young man bound for college whom I love. He had a soft contact cause a corneal scratch which became infected, possibly due to bacteria in the water at the beach. Very quickly that became a damaged cornea. He may well need a corneal transplant. Fortunately we are blessed with good medical care and chances for healing, but patience and trust will be needed]

Kevin, one of the reasons I love the Bible is that it tells the truth about some very difficult things. Despite what some try to sell to the foolish, it does not promise the good life in this world. Instead it promises there are no magical ceremonies or words to influence God. It teaches there may be healing we ask for, but we must know Him personally enough to expect an answer according to His will. It also teaches that God may not give the answer we hope for.

I and the church prayer group are praying that you find healing for your eye. I have every hope that will come in time, probably through excellent doctors like you will have at college. But whether it does or not, and no matter how long that takes, God always wants you to seek something good out of what seems bad - so begin now to think for yourself how that might look.

Everything good thing begins with focus on helping someone else. That might be going out of your way to help folks with a handicap for example. Everything lasting thing begins with focus on glorifying what God has done for you. If you become trapped into focusing on yourself very little good can happen - I learned that myself about addiction to games and how trapped in guilt that made me. If you aren't sure yet what God has done for you then make a real effort to learn certainty of it.

The Apostle Paul wrote almost half of the New Testament, and apparently had bad eyesight. When his name was still Saul, he had an experience that might affect the eyesight when the risen Jesus turned him from persecuting Christians to being a primary example of a Christian. Even though Paul was part of many miracles, including perhaps knowing Heaven itself when he may have been revived from the dead, God did not cure Paul's eyesight for a reason.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV)

Paul wrote the following to those who were already sure what God had done for them. It teaches that we are actually to rejoice in every opportunity to seek growth of character. That does NOT mean it is easy to put into practice, however. True character growth never comes easily.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5 NLV)

You are young and modern medicine knows well how to deal with this, and being young you have a better than usual chance of healing with that help.

I never had to face a difficulty like yours is at your age. But I do know of men who faced going into the hell of the Vietnam war as young as you are. Regardless whether they were heroes or just men there - I admire every one because of whatever they did for other people, including for me.

Praying for you always,
Dad