Welcome to today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread Devotional.

Today's reading titled Who Knows was written by Po Fong Chia.

According to Chinese legend, when Sai Wang lost one of his prized horses, his neighbor expressed sorrow for his loss.

But Sai Wang was unconcerned.

He said, who knows if it may be a good thing for me?

Surprisingly, the lost horse returned home with another horse.

As the neighbor congratulated him, Sai Wang said,

Who knows if it may be a bad thing for me?

As it turned out, his son broke his leg when he rode home on the new horse.

This seemed like a misfortune until the army arrived at the village to recruit all able-bodied men to fight in the war.

Because of the son's injury, he wasn't recruited, which ultimately could have spared him from death.

This is the story behind the Chinese proverb which teaches that a difficulty can be a blessing in disguise,

and vice versa. This ancient wisdom has a close parallel in Ecclesiastes chapter 6, verse 12,

where the author observes, who knows what is good for a person in life? Indeed, none of us know what the future holds.

An adversity might have positive benefits and prosperity might have ill effects.

Each day offers new opportunities, joys, struggles, and suffering.

As God's beloved children, we can rest in his sovereignty and trust him through the good

and the bad times alike. God has made the one as well as the other. He's with us in all the

events in our lives and promises his loving care.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 6 verse 12 and chapter 7 verses 13 through 14.

For who knows what is good for a person in life,

during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow.

...