Sometimes Things Have to Get Worse Before They Get Better

 

Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.

This is a very tough concept to grasp, especially when you’re in the midst of tough circumstances.  Can things really get worse? 

I remember my mom telling me once that I would make a great doctor because I’m not afraid to hurt people to make them better!  Sounds like an insult right?  But sometimes bones have to be broken to be set straight again.  Sometimes hard truth needs to be spoken in order to set someone free.  Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.

One of our little ladies had a crazy loose tooth that she couldn’t get out.  It was pinching her lip and painful, but she wouldn’t pull it out.  Daddy said he’d help her and pulled out the pliers.  She thought that was much worse that getting her lip pinched by the snaggle tooth!  But once it got worse, she was willing to make it better.

I think of Jesus going to the cross.  It just seemed to get worse and worse.  Beatings, insults, spitting in his face – can’t we just get to the cross already?  But there was great suffering that didn’t just last a moment.  And with the crucifixion it got worse before it got better.  3 days of silence.  3 days of waiting.  3 days of hell.  And then it got better.

In fact, it was better than better – it was miraculous!  He conquered the grave and is alive.  With his victory, we can have victory in the toughest of life’s circumstances.  Jesus is not apart from us in our suffering, He understands, and promises that

things will get better, even if they have to get worse first.