Matthew 7:9-11 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
I was talking with a friend the other day. Disappointment and confusion threatened to turn her faith upside down. She had prayed long and hard over a particular issue, but the answer to her cries turned out to be the exact opposite of what she was asking. She said, “I feel like I asked God for bread and he gave me a stone.”
I could relate to her pain, and I suspect some of you can, too. It’s hard to keep going when reality seems to contradict Scripture promises.
But the more I thought about her dilemma, the more I realized God hadn’t given her a stone. Satan had. No, he didn’t appear in red tights with a pitchfork. He made his arrival through fallen people. People he managed to manipulate into bringing great harm.
God never promised the stones of a fallen world wouldn’t be hurled in our direction. He did promise, however, to take all the evil Satan intends and work it for our good (Romans 8:28). He will transform those stones into bread. He’ll make biscuits out of those boulders. Pebbles into pita. Granite into multigrain. There is nothing we experience he cannot redeem for higher purposes. And redemption…(wait for it)…rocks!
There’s one time in Scripture, however, when Jesus refused to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:1-4). After fasting 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tempted him to use his power to satisfy himself. But Jesus would have none of it. In no uncertain terms Jesus declared he relied more on the word of God to sustain him than physical food. He knew God had a higher purpose than meeting his momentary hunger.
So the next time you get hit by a stone storm, don’t get caught in the moment. Remember the word of God. He is a good father who delights in giving good gifts to his children. Wait on him. Trust him. In time, he will turn those rocks into rolls.