Do I Really Believe God Is Good? |
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When I receive the diagnosis that confirms my body is falling apart. When I am in the throes of addiction without any tangible path out. When I get a phone call that someone I love is in the emergency room and might not make it. When getting out of bed is too difficult and getting through the day feels impossible. - When everything in my life appears to be anything but good, do I really believe that God and His plans are good?
Sometimes, I must admit that the honest answer feels like no. Sometimes everything in my mind and flesh says there is absolutely no goodness here. Here, however, it is still possible to indulge in the unknown, inexplicable reaches of God's mercy and love. Here, we can cry out Lord, I see no good, I feel no good, but my spirit trusts in You beyond what I can see and feel. We can acknowledge our frail flesh, we can confess our doubts, and we can still cling to the very robes of our almighty Savior – through tears, cries for help, and wordless groans. - With one eye on Christ as He hangs on the cross forsaken and bleeding out, our other eye on Christ as He sits at the right hand of the Father, we can endure with complete hope and expectation.
His crucifixion is the reminder that Jesus is with us in our suffering – behind, beside, and ahead of us in every moment. His resurrection is the certainty of our future glory, the motivation for our unceasing hope. In the time between our worldly birth and eternity to come, we battle to remain in the presence of the One we will be reunited with soon. Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. — Matthew 11:28-30 His invitation is simple: Come. He does not require that we come polished, presentable, and put together. His call is for the weary and burdened, the empty and destitute, those that know they are not able and long to rest in the arms of One who is. This, perhaps among all the painfully eternal lessons taught by suffering, is a truth that we must rely on: We can still honor God in our doubts, uncertainties, questions, despair, anger, sadness, and the complete absence of worldly evidence. What good is it to act as if they are not there, coming to the Lord with a forced smile and concealed limp? Instead, we rejoice that we can enter God's presence wounded, bleeding, weeping, crawling because we have no energy to stand, and exhale the word help as we fall at His feet. Why? Because we know He will reach down from His heavenly throne, He will pick us up in His powerful hands, He will hold us tight to His chest, and He will do as He promises to do. |
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His crucifixion is the reminder that Jesus is with us in our suffering – behind, beside, and ahead of us in every moment. |
His crucifixion is the reminder that Jesus is with us in our suffering – behind, beside, and ahead of us in every moment. |
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He will take all things and work them together for good. Because He is good and His goodness is not limited by our capacity to feel, see, or understand it. We can bring the fullness of our human brokenness into the fullness of His divine perfection as a humble, sober form of worship. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. — Psalm 51:17 This intersection – our humanity and His boundlessness - is the gateway to God's power being made perfect in our weakness. In the same breath, we can express the agony of our worldly circumstances and sing praise to our all-knowing, loving Creator who promises to use those circumstances for our good and His glory. It is not our responsibility to bridge the gap from our limited understanding to God's unlimited sovereignty, hoping we are given an answer or outcome that satisfies our desire for control and clarity. Instead, it is our joy to recognize that the gap exists, submitting to the Lord in the unknown, dark, heavy moments with vulnerability, and relying on His presence as we press on. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. — Psalm 34:16 The Creator of the universe, Maker of Heaven and earth – every universe and galaxy – is close to… the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit. Is there a greater promise than this one? In all His vastness, eternality, and power, He chooses to draw near to those that are hurting. And His promise is His proximity. The presence of God Himself in the midst of our despair, pain, confusion, and suffering is the greatest picture of His goodness. So, even when things don't look or feel good, we can fall into the arms of the Almighty and still know that it is, because He is. |
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Are you in the middle of something painful today? God is there with you. He's close. He draws nearer to you than your own breath. Fall into His arms today! ~ Devotionals Daily |
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Find hope when your world is falling apart |
In Our Suffering, Lord Be Near: Prayers of Hope for the Hurting |
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+ FREE shipping with code SUMMER |
Hardship and adversity touch everyone--illness, grief, accidents, trauma, loneliness, relationship struggles, financial crises, sin, addiction, life stressors, and so much more can leave you feeling lost, hopeless, and isolated. You are not alone. When author Ben Locke was in his darkest valleys, he was determined to tell God exactly what he thought. He poured out his agony and anger--and was met with God's grace, love, forgiveness, and mercy. He discovered in those moments that God can handle it. All of it. And the prayers that poured out Ben's experience offer a road map for you to take your sorrows, grief, and troubles to God, knowing He will meet you in your time of suffering. In Our Suffering, Lord Be Near can be a light in the darkness if you ever: - Feel like questioning, yelling at, doubting, or even denouncing God
- Want to separate from the church
- Wonder if God is listening to your prayers and cares about your troubles
- Do not know what to do with your anger
- Fear that life will be this way forever
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Exclusively at FaithGateway: Purchase In Our Suffering, Lord Be Near and receive free Psalm 35 and Psalm 145 decorative printables-- delivered to your email after purchase from FaithGateway! |
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The psalm like prayers borne out of these experiences will meet you in your own moments of suffering. But they are more than prayers. They're cries for help and explosions of anger, mourning, weeping, grieving, celebrating, rejoicing, and praising. They're liturgies to heal your soul, balm for your wounds, and tender mercies for your heartache. This book will help you know that: - God is with you, even if you don't feel Him or understand what is happening
- God offers you grace and mercy, no matter what
- God delivers you and gives you strength
Let these words help you articulate your own sorrows, bring you to your knees, encourage you to confess your insufficiency, and express your most genuine emotions. In Our Suffering, Lord Be Near will help find hope in God when your world is falling apart. God can handle your suffering. So, tell Him. |
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During Dollar Days of Summer, we're offering deals up to 70% off hundreds of Christian books, Bibles, devotionals, and more for both adults and kids, starting at just $5! And that's not all—enjoy Free Shipping storewide with code SUMMER. Don't miss out! This amazing sale ends on 7/22, so stock up on your favorites now. |
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this devotion with someone who needs it today |
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