It's for My Good: Surviving the Storms of Life

By Dr. Barrington E. Smith

In a world filled with adversities and innumerable problems, our lives sometimes feel like an uphill battle. At times we get discouraged by the darkness and loneliness we face in life and the difficulties we experience on a day to day basis. We may at one time or another find ourselves on our knees crying to God for help. "It's For My Good" will help you to understand how God miraculously cause our experiences to eventually work in our favour. It will teach us how to appreciate our struggles, embrace our difficulties and live through our fears.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781449710002

Dr. Barrington E. Smith

Dr. Barrington Smith is the founding Pastor of Kingdom Life Ministries where he has been serving since 1999. He holds a Doctorate Degree in Divinity and a Masters in Christian Education. He is an excellent public speaker and one that has passion for the growth and development of God's people. Dr. Smith has worked as the Financial Controller for Re/Max Realty Specialists in Mississauga since November 1991. He enjoys an excellent working relationship with his peers and is recognized by many as a counselor, teacher and encourager. Dr. Smith has experienced many spiritual and emotional storms throughout his life. However, his faith in God always remained strong. Despite the many trials and testings, he has always remained a radical worshipper and an anointed preacher. Dr. Smith lives in Brampton, Ontario Canada. He is a loving husband to Kareen Smith, and a caring and devoted father to his three children: Kandice, Charice and Dylan.

Book preview

It’s For My Good

SURVIVING THE STORMS OF LIFE

Dr. Barrington E. Smith

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Copyright © 2010 Dr. Barrington E. Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-0999-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1001-9 (dj)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1000-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010941851

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/29/2010

Rom 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

KJV

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

1. STARTING WITH NOTHING

glp.pdf A Seed of Greatness

2. THE EARLY YEARS

glp.pdf Phases of the Early Years

3. EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY

glp.pdf Pride goes before Destruction

glp.pdf Greatness resides within us, not in the position We occupy

glp.pdf I am what I am

4. WHEN WE FAIL

glp.pdf From Failure to Victory

5. THE STORMS OF LIFE

glp.pdf The Storm sent me into Hiding

glp.pdf A Shelter for Me

glp.pdf I Survived

glp.pdf God will Take Care

6. ALONE IN THE DARK

glp.pdf It Sometimes gets Very Dark

glp.pdf Curse God and Die

glp.pdf Jesus is the Light

7. I AM STILL HERE

glp.pdf It Could have Killed Me

glp.pdf Through it All

glp.pdf God Has a Plan for My Life

8. ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER

glp.pdf Seasons and Time

glp.pdf Life Comes Through Death

glp.pdf But God!

glp.pdf All Things

glp.pdf It is Well

9. IT’S FOR MY GOOD

glp.pdf It’s for my Good because We Know!

glp.pdf It’s for my Good because It’s a Promise

BIBLIOGRAPY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

glp2.pdf

The writing of this book was a personal adventure for me. It allowed me to review the journey of my life to this point and recognize the many blessings that I have received. The journey was not easy and at times the terrain was quite rugged, but God kept me. I give thanks to God for taking me through the experiences of my life, allowing me to become the soldier for Christ that I am, in the Army of God. I would not be here today, if I did not receive grace, mercy and favour from our God. The writing of this book is nothing but the blessings of God on my life.

To my wife Kareen, my children, Kandice, Charice and Dylan, I love you and thank you. You loved and covered me through whatever storm I was going through. I am not sure that I would have fought my way through without your constant love, reassurances and just being there. Outside of the salvation of my soul, you are the greatest gift that I have received from God.

To the Kingdom Life family, I say may we continue to live, love and share in the worship of God. The members of Kingdom Life Ministries are first class citizens in the Kingdom of God. We are testaments of the fact that New Life Begins at Kingdom Life.

In conclusion, I offer my gratitude to Wendy Davis for her editorial assistance and to Gary Harper for his work on the cover pages. To all those who have given a word of encouragement, a smile or just a pat on the shoulder, I say thank you.

INTRODUCTION

glp2.pdf

We are living in a world filled with sickness, adversity and innumerable problems. For many of us life sometimes seems like an uphill battle; one that we fear we may never be able to win. At times we struggle from one week to the next and from one day to the next without seemingly getting ahead. As children of God, we expect our God to fight for us and deliver us from the constant issues we face and the struggles we meet. Some of us, at times, feel as if we are serving an absentee God who shows up on His own schedule. It is as if we are fighting our battles by ourselves. It is during these times we wonder if it is worthwhile serving a God who is seemingly never there. The pressures of life can cause us to question our devotion to God and His commitment to our well being. Trapped in a valley of problems, we are often left to wonder whether or not the pain and suffering we endure are of any value. The Word of God says that all things work together for good, to them that love God and are the called according to His purpose. Is this really true? Is there somehow value in our struggles?

To reach an accurate conclusion of whether or not there is still hope amidst a life of confusion, pain and despair, we will need to look not only at where we are coming from and where we are, but also to where we are going. A review of our entire life is necessary to see how God is in the midst of everything, working out a plan of ultimate reward for us. I believe our life is divinely orchestrated by God to an unexpected end. The problem is that we do not know when that end will be or what it will look like. Yet there are a few things we should be aware of which will keep us focused and committed through our mountain top and valley experiences. The terrain of our lives may not be smooth and comfortable. There may be days of intense darkness and loneliness; days of frustration and fear and days of nightmares and terrors. The things that we face may bring us to our knees, crying to God, but they should not destroy our faith. We must stay focused.

From time to time we will find ourselves on different levels of the economic or social ladder, but we all have a similar starting point. We all came into the world in a state of nakedness or nothingness. Some of us may have had a family of wealth or one of poverty; a family filled with love or one that is filled with hate; a godly family or an ungodly family. In spite of what we may have lived or are living through, we must decide whether or not we will demonstrate faith in God at all times. Our circumstances do not make us, although, they may help to shape us. We are who we are by the grace of God. God has breathed His divine breath into us. In other words, God has invested of Himself into us. Where there is an investment there is interest. God has an invested interest in us.

Our days may get lonely and our environment dark, but God is always with us, even in the dark. We may not know how everything will come together, but they will come together in our favour. We know this because the Lord is our Shepherd (Psalm 23). When God is leading us, we will be on the path of righteousness, but we will also travel the valley of death’s shadow. If we have not yet experienced severe storms in our lives, we should prepare ourselves. As long as we are alive we will experience dangerous attacks from the enemy. We will experience betrayal, rejection and loneliness. Some people will become suicidal while others will isolate themselves. Nevertheless, our reaction is not as important as the commitment we exhibit to our faith. In the midst of affliction and pain we should never bow to the temptations of the devil. We must be firm in our commitment and resolute in our determination.

The natural vision of our eyes does not reflect the final outcome. That is why 2nd Corinthians 5:7 tells us, "For