Monday Morning Encouragement -- I Don't Need To Understand Everything God Does

 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

I'm what you would call a sporadic journaler. There have been seasons of my life when I journaled daily. And then years have passed without a single entry. In a sense, this blog has been a sort of journal for me, so I guess all is not lost. This week I came across a blog post where I shared a journal entry from August 2019. It really struck me as just appropriate for today as it was then, and I ask your indulgence as I post an excerpt here.

The older I get the more satisfied I am with not having the answers to the mysteries of my faith. I don't need to understand everything that God does, all that He allows. It is enough for me to know that He is sovereign. That He will do what He will do, in His time, in His way. I can sing "It is well with my soul" because I fully trust in Him. I have seen His faithfulness in my life. I have experienced His unconditional love. Even when I was living in rebellion, He loved me. He never took His eyes off me. How can I question the goodness and love of my heavenly Father when He has always only been kind to me?

I stand in awe of the One who gave up everything to redeem me. To redeem all sinners from the pit of hell, if they will put their faith and trust in Him, in Jesus who died so that we might have life. And have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

The abundant life is not about money or fame. It's not about success and notoriety. The abundant life is the life we live in Christ. The marvelous truth that the One who conquered sin and death, who rose again to life on the third day, is living in us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives strength when we are weary, hope when all seems lost, love when we feel unlovable, joy when we are downcast. His love is eternal, His presence is forever, there is nothing that can separate us from Him, no power can overcome His love and goodness, His mercy and grace. Though the enemy would try to dissuade us from the truth that God loves us, that He has only the best for us, we know better. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)

My life has meaning because God has chosen me. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:3-14)

I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

I am chosen.

I am holy and blameless before Him.

I've been adopted by my Father in love through Jesus Christ.

I am blessed in the Beloved.

I am redeemed through Christs' blood.

I've been forgiven of all my trespasses.

I am the recipient of His lavish grace.

I am united in Christ to the praise of His glory.

I am sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

My inheritance is guaranteed until I acquire possession of it, to the praise of HIS glory!

This is the truth of who I am! I am a child of God. The daughter of the King! 

All those who follow Christ can proclaim this same truth!

Today's music video It Is Well With My Soul is beautifully sung by Chris Rice. 

I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.