Goodness
Posted by Esther Stewart on Monday, February 21, 2011
Only the other day I realised something, and it was one of those moments that has to come from God. When you try to put it into words it just doesn't seem that significant ... but here goes.
God wants me to be happy.
I've kinda known that and said it for a long time but it hadn't clicked where it mattered, in my heart.
"Don't be deceived dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:16-17
God is good and He can't do anything evil or bad. I used to wonder if God's goodness was beyond our understanding. There seemed to be so much conflicting evidence inside and outside the church. But now I know - God is good. He understands happiness, love, and safety. He made them and He is those qualities. He loves me and wants me to be happy. Not like a fat dog lying in the sun, or a lotto winner just after the phone call. He wants me to be happy in a genuinely deep and satisfying way that isn't dependent on circumstances. He wants to give me confidence, contentment, peace, and fulfillment, and He is always working in every circumstance to bring that about.
Don't be deceived. Depression, fear, anxiety, lonliness, violence, anger, poverty, exhaustion, and strife are not from God. They do come through our sin and the sin of others but they are not God's and He wants to take them from us. He has power over them and can remove them if we let Him.
That doesn't mean that we will reach a state of utopia this side of heaven. As long as we sin and others sin there will be bad things. We mustn't focus on them. That is God's business. He's in control and He will righteously judge all the evil in the world.
But for you personally, He desires good things and is working in you and through all your circumstances to bring them about. Ask Him for what you deeply desire and I guarantee He is bringing it about. It takes faith, hope, and perseverance sometimes, and often you have to give away things you'd like to keep.
But God is good and He loves you. Trust Him and you will find that His love makes perfect sense.
God wants me to be happy.
I've kinda known that and said it for a long time but it hadn't clicked where it mattered, in my heart.
"Don't be deceived dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:16-17
God is good and He can't do anything evil or bad. I used to wonder if God's goodness was beyond our understanding. There seemed to be so much conflicting evidence inside and outside the church. But now I know - God is good. He understands happiness, love, and safety. He made them and He is those qualities. He loves me and wants me to be happy. Not like a fat dog lying in the sun, or a lotto winner just after the phone call. He wants me to be happy in a genuinely deep and satisfying way that isn't dependent on circumstances. He wants to give me confidence, contentment, peace, and fulfillment, and He is always working in every circumstance to bring that about.
Don't be deceived. Depression, fear, anxiety, lonliness, violence, anger, poverty, exhaustion, and strife are not from God. They do come through our sin and the sin of others but they are not God's and He wants to take them from us. He has power over them and can remove them if we let Him.
That doesn't mean that we will reach a state of utopia this side of heaven. As long as we sin and others sin there will be bad things. We mustn't focus on them. That is God's business. He's in control and He will righteously judge all the evil in the world.
But for you personally, He desires good things and is working in you and through all your circumstances to bring them about. Ask Him for what you deeply desire and I guarantee He is bringing it about. It takes faith, hope, and perseverance sometimes, and often you have to give away things you'd like to keep.
But God is good and He loves you. Trust Him and you will find that His love makes perfect sense.
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