God Is Good - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 12
God Is Good
By Alexis A. Goring
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” –1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)
Have I not been good to you? I felt God emphasizing these words in my spirit almost every day for the past few weeks. Each time I replied to Him silently, “Yes, Lord. You have always been good to me.” Then I apologized for complaining, worrying, and counting my burdens more than my blessings.
As I took time to reflect on all God has done for me, I started praising Him and thanking Him. My late maternal grandmother would sometimes tell me, “Gratitude will change your attitude.” I found her statement to be true because whenever I take time to reflect on God’s many blessings, I am overwhelmed by how good He has been to me. He has shown me favor, grace, and mercy. He showers my loved ones and me with mercy and compassion. He has kept me healthy and in my right mind. He has blessed me with a safe place to live that is surrounded in natural beauty. He has kept my family members alive and well. He has kept me out of trouble, ordered my steps in His Word, and been with me in every moment (good and bad). He helps me survive the storms of life to emerge stronger and wiser on the other side. He prepares me for every battle I face and helps me win. He encourages me when I’m sad and lifts me up and out of depression. He provides my every need. I know Him to be the Friend who will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).
I realized that through it all, God is good and loves humankind with all His Heart. He is our Good Father who only wants the best for us. The Bible says God gives good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). But what happens when we feel like God is withholding gifts from us? What do we do when we feel like He is taking too long to answer our prayers? Perhaps we believe He doesn’t hear us and we entertain the thought that He has left us. Nothing can be farther from the truth!
The Creator of the Universe loves you. He thinks you are worth dying for (John 3:16)! Just because you cannot hear Him reply to you when you pray doesn’t mean that He is not there nor does not care. The opposite is true: God cares about you! It is important to remember that God’s timing is not our timing. He lives outside of time, above and beyond this sin-filled world. He sees the bigger picture, so He knows just what we need and when we will need it. My maternal grandmother also used to say, “God may not come when you want Him to but He’s always on time!”
With each passing year, I find her wisdom to be true. And you may too! Take a stroll down Memory Lane in your brain and remember how God was there for you exactly when you needed Him. When you feel discouraged, ask God to remind you of His faithfulness. And when you feel disconnected from Him, tell God how you feel (respectfully), then open The Holy Bible and pray over your study time before reading. Ask God to speak to you through His Word and He will! He may not answer you right away but He will answer in His perfect timing.
While you are waiting on God, try counting your blessings. Your load of burdens may start to feel lighter. The Bible says to cast your cares on Jesus Christ because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Practice that until you make that your first response in trying situations. Don’t ruminate over your burdens and worry. Instead, trust God! He has you covered.
Intersecting Faith and Life: How does counting your blessings help ease your burdens? When was the last time you remembered how good God has been to you and thanked Him?
I hope this devotional has encouraged your heart. In closing, I would like for you to listen to the song, “Lord You Are Good” by Todd Galberth: https://youtu.be/mztyl7oIlRY
Further Reading:
Read “25 Verses about God’s Astonishing Goodness” by Tamela Turbeville
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/m-imagephotography
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