Baking

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

"He works [all things] for good together, not in isolation," (David Guzik, "Study Guide for Romans 8").

Think about all the aspects of your life: your mountaintops, your valleys, and every step in between.  God works in every single step and He uses them all to produce a beautiful masterpiece.  It's like baking, whether the end result will be a wedding cake, a batch of cookies, or a tray of brownies, the end result doesn't happen just because you crack open a few eggs.  The masterpiece happens because you combine all the ingredients, in perfect measurement, and bake them at the correct temperature for the needed amount of time.  The end result is determined by the specific combination of all the ingredients.  All of these deserts--cakes, brownies, cookies--have at least one thing in common.  But they are all different desserts because it's not the egg--just one ingredient--that determines the end result, but the combination of all the ingredients.

Whatever you are going through today, take comfort in knowing that God works all things together for your good: your suffering, your joy, and every step in between.
~Heather Potts~