A pass around email from Judy and Kevin Ofstethun:

Cake...

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this", or "Why did God have
to do this to me". Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's
failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is
moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would
like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.

"Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a
wonderfully delicious cake!"

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go

through such bad and difficult times. But God knows
that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for
good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make
something wonderful!