How can you find blessings out of tragedy? Many people cannot even fathom that this can be possible. Yet even the most life-shattering events, if allowed, can be used for good.
As a habit, I include some aspect of faith in each blog post in honor of my Savior. For, without my Lord lifting me up from a place of fire and despair, I would not be here today to share with you. However, I keep references to God to a minimum. I do this to better reach those who have been wounded by various aspects of religious abuse.
I know firsthand the damage that many who stand under the name of Jesus can cause when they use judgment as a controlling tool. They may have good intent, but far too often, their efforts result in abuse that ultimately pushes the recipient from their Lord. See https://crystalmmhuntley.com/2024/02/religious-abuse-can-you-see-the-signs/.
This post, however, will be the exception. The topic I wish to share with you, how to find blessings out of tragedy, cannot be done without frequent references to God and scripture. As you read on, I ask those who are victims of religious abuse to bear with me and allow the gift I offer through my words to aid in your healing.
Damaging Religious Doctrine
A church I attended nearly thirty years ago taught many damaging concepts. One was that they blamed any ailment on the suffering person as a punishment. During that timeframe, the effects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome began to increase from a level of irritation to significant limitations. Gratefully, my core belief in a God of Love rejected their doctrine.
Fast-forward twenty-five years to a different church that greatly emphasized healing through prayer. God restored my ability to walk during the time I attended this church. To read more about my healing, see https://crystalmmhuntley.com/revealing-my-healing-the-miraculous-truth/. The congregation openly rejoiced at witnessing the fact that I no longer needed a wheelchair. However, instead of interpreting healing as something God does for His glory, this congregation emphasized that all healings result from the amount of faith that person holds.
This damaging concept placed me in the crosshairs of their criticism. Even though I no longer needed a wheelchair, I still suffered intensive hip and leg pain and other aspects caused by the syndrome. This church taught that the power of healing rests in the victim’s faith, not in God’s ability. This way of interpreting healing holds the arrogance that we know what God wants, and it remains up to us to make it happen. I approached them one day for prayers in a specific area where I still suffered. They rejected my request, saying I had an attitude problem that did not reflect enough faith.
God Hold the Power
This congregation lacked a central concept of God’s nature. God holds the power, not us. If God chooses to heal us, He will. Our Almighty Savior does not require us to have an abundant amount of faith to accomplish healing. If the measure of faith were the only requirement, then the power to heal would reside within us. God declares that with only a minute amount of faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Our Savior only asks that we become open vessels to do His glorious work through.
Can a Tragedy Become a Blessing?
Sometimes, God chooses not to heal or, as in my case, fully heal a person. Why might that be? Why God might not choose to heal someone is challenging to understand with our limited perception. However, when God allows us to remain weak, it can act as a catalyst to develop trust in our Lord and His eternal plan.
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Our Savior is the master of turning bad situations into blessings. Hardships such as illness, painful losses, and abuse can provide the perfect opportunity to grow in faith closer to our Lord if we allow it. God doesn’t punish us by allowing trials to occur, and the Almighty certainly does not create them, but when we agree to work with Him, our Lord turns calamities around and uses them for His glory.
Blessings from Trials
As an example, think of a world-renowned orchestra. Musicians from all around gather with their instruments and a willingness to create beautiful music. As they warm up, each person plays their own melody, resulting in a mishmash of sound until the conductor lifts his baton. When each musician chooses to obey the conductor’s instructions, their talents come together in perfect harmony. Likewise, the jumble of events in a person’s life can seem like utter chaos until God, as master conductor, orchestrates everything you have suffered as opportunities to draw closer to Him and better understand His loving nature.
As I’ve struggled to find peace within from the abuse I’ve suffered and the syndrome, 2 Corinthians 12:9 has often brought me comfort. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Instead of relying on my limited strength, I’ve learned to rely on God’s. This different angle of seeing things, see https://crystalmmhuntley.com/2023/06/have-you-ever-wondered-how-to-find-a-better-angle/, has given me the ability to use my life’s trials as ways to highlight God’s glory through my writing.
I rejoice in knowing that God is using my suffering to reach out to others and guide them closer to Christ. As a wounded believer in Christ, I lost all reasons to believe in my Savior, yet instead of becoming cynical, I’ve drawn even closer to my Lord. As you read my blog posts and books, I hope you, too, will better know the true loving nature of your Lord and Savior.
Robin’s Gift
I fabricated the deaths of Robin and Abigail in my book Robin’s Gift from the deaths of my dear childhood friend Cathy and her baby daughter, Julie, as stated on the Dedication page of this book. We will never fully understand why God allowed that tragic event to happen, but God, the master of turning tragedies into blessings, used their untimely demise to bring me back to Him. Within this book, I fictionized that occurrence through the character Natalie.
Barbara and Dale
I have had the honor to come to know and work with Barbara E. Kompik, founder and CEO of LaShayNicolepublishing.com. On December 19, 2017, Barbara went through the unimaginable experience of the loss of her beloved son, Dale. You can read in detail what she and Dale suffered through in a series of books Barbara wrote, “How’s Your Heart Today?”, Show Me Your Glory, Lord!, Dear Dale, and Heaven’s Mist. Barbara’s immense grief led her to create a ministry through her book writing and by founding the LaShay Nicole Publishing Company at https://bkbookshoppe.com. She successfully took the tragic twist this world dowsed her with and, with God’s guidance, turned it into a ministry to glorify Her Lord.
Blessings from Forgiveness
Sometimes, people are not what we must forgive. Life situations, existing with an incurable illness, the death of a loved one, or living through a natural disaster are only a few examples. Events like these can make people bitter. God does not induce bad things to happen. However, awful things occur as recourses from our choices made with the gift of free agency our Savior blessed us all with. Sometimes God will interfere, but more often, our Savior uses such hardships to glorify Him, as stated in John 9:3, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” As a result, I frequently pray that God uses every part of me, my weaknesses and all, for His glory.
Note To My Readers
I invite you to join me next time as I further expand on finding blessings out of tragedies.
Hopefully, you have gained value from this blog post. If you have, I would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase my books. You can purchase The Hidden Diamond and Robin’s Gift here at BUY THE BOOK – Crystal MM Huntley.
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Check out my Christmas offer when you purchase my books from https://bizybookstore.com!
An additional site where you can find my books is https://bkbookshoppe.com. However, if you prefer to purchase from Amazon, you will find The Hidden Diamond at http://www.amazon.com/The-Hidden-Diamond-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/1665573767 and Robin’s Gift at https://www.amazon.com/Robins-Gift-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/B0CVL7746N.
Each purchase of my books supports my mission to break the chains of abuse. Once you have read either of my books, feel free to leave a review on the site you purchased from. Your review will encourage others also to seek out the path of healing.
Alexandra All souls are priceless no matter their past. A personal reason to testify. Assure myself with a pep talk. Boundaries Breaking Out Breathe into the space of peace. Complex CPTSD Continue to write for God. Difficult people can become a catalyst for growth. Discover My Newest Post Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Forgiveness Free Giveaway From Robin’s Gift God chooses. Grace Enters Hope How I got out of the wheelchair. Installing Healthy Boundaries Invite Keep up the good work. Master New Skills My Mission My Story No meaningful journey exists without pitfalls. Note To My Readers Resources Robin’s Gift Robin’s Gift – A Sneak Peak Share my healing journey. Taboo topics have infiltrated people. Take the Challenge Thank you. The Behind Story The Hidden Diamond Transcend into healthy boundaries. Upcoming Posts We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know. Why I Write Writing Is My Passion Writing Mirrors Life You Are Worthy! Your Gain “When I am weak then I am strong.”
