Repairs can put us in a better position than we were before momentary trials, says Sheffield minister

This was followed by a message from my wife suggesting I should stop buying goods online as I have managed to put the bank account overdrawn – someone had managed to infiltrate our account and have a good time at our expense!

Yesterday? No electricity.

Now, things can only get better, surely.

I thought I would go and get some equipment to help, but I don’t have a bank card, it was cancelled due to the fraud and I await a new one.

I joked with my wife I might just stick something in a socket and be done with it. We laughed as clearly I couldn’t even do that – no electricity.

We laugh. Why? We know these are momentary trials. When all repairs are finished, we will be in a better position.

God knows the plans He has for us. He is a loving Father who only has plans to prosper us. I’m sure He laughed as He pointed out I shouldn’t have played around with the leaking pipe – I already had someone who knew what he was doing on the case.

Yes, there is badness in the world. People will steal, cheat and lie. God reminded us He has so much in store for us that cannot be stolen.

The week culminates with the news we are elevated to tier three in Sheffield. Many people have been ignoring, bending and stretching the rules and we are all paying the price for a short-term ‘good time.’

God says, no matter what we are going through, where we have been or what we have done, if we return to the One who knows what He is doing and holds the future in His hands, He will repair and heal all things.

There is always someone trying to steal from us, take things and have a good time at our expense. Spiritually, this is also the truth, even though we don’t like to acknowledge it.

We cannot fix the problems created in this world. We only make them worse the more we try. However, God not only can, He is waiting eagerly to do so. He holds a future no one can steal or tarnish.

When we return to Him and His ways, He will act in a way that we simply cannot.

The Reverend Peter McCool is pastor at South Sheffield Church, Greenhill Parkway Lower Bradway – see southsheffieldchurch.co.uk