Editor’s Note: Laura Lacey Johnson is a former employee of KTXS-TV, the Community Foundation of Abilene, and Howard Payne University in Brownwood. She now lives in Missouri and is an author and creator of Christian videos. Her latest contribution follows. To see more, go to https://lauralaceyjohnson.com

Hi, I’m Laura Lacey Johnson.

The other day, I couldn’t get ketchup to come out of the bottle.

I knew the bottle wasn’t empty so, I turned it over, shook it, and squeezed it.

Not long ago, I also felt squeezed, shaken, and turned upside down.

Circumstances hadn’t gone my way, and I was heartbroken and mad with God.

In hindsight, I can see at least one valuable thing God shook loose during the experience that might have stayed bottled up. 

2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT says our lives are like jars containing “great treasure.”

Sometimes I wonder if, like ketchup, God sees the treasure trapped inside us, and allows circumstances to shake us until He can get out of us the good stuff, He knows He’s placed inside us.

Learn more at www.lauralaceyjohnson.com.