Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Circumstances aren't God, God is God, and God IS good.

"Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him." Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available - there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love - whatever the circumstances."
Corrie Ten Boom

This just brought to my attention how important it is to have faith in Jesus. A solid, deeply rooted faith in him that doesn't get shaken even in very dark situations. Our life isn't based around circumstances, sickness, pain or trials. Or based around what he does or doesn't do, or the products of him... It's based around God himself. Truth be told these hard things DO happen. God never promised a life exempt from suffering. But he DID offer 'an everpresent help IN trouble'
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
The way we feel about something is irrelevant really. Our perspective is irrelevant. Our expectations are irrelevant! If you feel God has let you down, could it just be that you had made up an expectation in your head about how he should be to keep you happy? That didn't come from him, that came from you, and you're the one who let yourself down! That doesn't leave you full and satisfied. God is the source of relevance. We need to draw our life out of his. Feelings always come and go. Highs and Lows, they come, they go. God isn't the one coming and going. It's us. Jesus said 'in this world you will face many trials and tribulations, but take heart! Because I have overcome the world!'

Lets have faith that even when his physical healings, his signs, his wonders don't seem to be physically evident, that he is STILL God. He is just as much God as he ever was. We may feel let down, but why is that?Could it just be that our expectation of what he should do, was out of line? Let's trust Jesus. Let's let him do some work inside, and develop a faith that isn't shaken by the surface things of life. He promised you, his dearest child, that he'd always love you. He promised you that he would always be there for you. He promised you that he would give you all you need. He promised you these things, not a trouble free life. Draw your life out of his heart, thats the only place worth drawing it from! Thats where you won't get let down. God doesn't look at the outward things, the physical outside things, he looks at the heart....