Good Things

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Oprah has her "Favorite Things" and so do I, but God has good things.  The two are not always synonymous...A large Sonic Coke with vanilla is one of my favorite things, but it isn't always good for me.  Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.

I know how it feels to think perhaps God has abandoned me - He certainly didn't heal or fix my marriage, the story of life that I authored didn't pan out and I know what it feels like to be angry about that. Still, I know He is God and I am not, He doesn't owe me an explanation of why He didn't work things out the way I wanted.

It has helped me to know this: God does not withhold good from those who seek to do right or from the innocent. Everything I have learned for my entire life conditioned me to believe that my children were better off with an intact family - even if that family was very broken and dysfunctional. I no longer believe that. God is great enough to fill in the gaps where their father and I have failed and let them turn out in their personal best if they yield to Him. They are innocent of the mess and God will act on their behalf to shield, strengthen and empower them (AND ME!). When I am discouraged, when things don't go the way I want, I am choosing to believe that Go knew what I wanted wasn't good. He will not with hold good. So whatever He does give, is better and good.  Again, I don't always feel this way, but I choose to believe and live in this promise.

Maybe this will help you, maybe it will make the present more bearable. Keep reaching out and remember things will not always be the way they are today. You will not always feel this way and circumstances will change.  Are there any good things in your life today that you would not have labeled that way before?