Learning To Relax! God Is Working for My Good

In Romans 8:28 I read, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him." (NIV)

Everything God does is for my good and because he loves me. The Bible says, “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful” (Psalm 25:10 NIV), and “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

This is something I’ll need to remind myself of again and again, because any time God says “no” to my prayers, Satan will shoot darts of doubt in me. He’s going to whisper lies: “God doesn’t love you. He doesn’t care about you; otherwise, he’d give you everything you want!” But Satan is a liar.

I don’t have to understand God’s answer to my prayer to know it’s motivated by love.

God loves me too much to give me everything I ask for. So, when God says “no,” I’ve got three options: I can resist it, resent it, or relax in it.

I can resist God. I can fight him, get mad at him, turn my back on him, and say, “Okay, God, if you don’t play the game my way, I’m going to take matters into my own hands.” Too many walk away from God because God said “no” to their prayer. They didn’t trust that he had a bigger perspective, a better plan, and a greater purpose.

They walked away from God in resentment and rebellion. That’s the second thing, I can resent it. When I doubt God’s love like that, it makes me bitter and miserable. So many people have lived their entire lives in misery because they’ve never accepted the fact that God only does what’s good in their lives.

There is a third way to respond to God’s goodness: I can relax in it. When I believe that God always has my best interest at heart, I can look with new eyes at the things he does that don’t make sense.

I may not understand it. It may even be painful. But God is still good. He is loving, and he will never stop loving me. I can say, “Even in this, God’s love still remains.”

That’s the only kind of response that will bring me peace! Don’t resist or resent God’s work in my life. I can relax in the truth that it is always for my good.

In summary, God works in all things for the good of those who love him. Everything God does is for my good and because he loves me. This is something I’ll need to remind myself of again and again, because any time God says “no” to my prayers, Satan will shoot darts of doubt in me. I don’t have to understand God’s answer to my prayer to know it’s motivated by love. God loves me too much to give me everything I ask for. So, when God says “no,” I’ve got three options: I can resist it, resent it, or relax in it. I can resist God. I can fight him, get mad at him, turn my back on him, and say, if you don’t play the game my way, I’m going to take matters into my own hands. Too many walk away from God because God said “no” to their prayer. They didn’t trust that he had a bigger perspective, a better plan, and a greater purpose. They walked away from God in resentment and rebellion. When I doubt God’s love, it makes me bitter and miserable. So many people have lived their entire lives in misery because they’ve never accepted the fact that God only does what’s good in their lives. Or I can learn to relax in it. When I believe that God always has my best interest at heart, I can look with new eyes at the things he does that don’t make sense. I may not understand it. It may even be painful. But God is still good. He is loving, and he will never stop loving me. So don’t resist or resent God’s work in my life. I can relax in the truth that it is always for my good.

God works in "everything", not just isolated incidents, for my good. This doesn't mean that all that happens to me is good, as evil is prevalent in this fallen world. However, God is able to turn every circumstance around for my long-range good. He's not working in my life to make me happy, rather to fulfill his purpose for me. He does this because I choose to love him. He has called me. As a result I have a new trust in God's perspective and mindset. I trust in God, not in life's treasures; because my security is in heaven, not here on earth. I'm also being taught to not have my faith waver when pain or persecution comes, because I know that God is with me. 

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Letting My Faith Be My Shield

In review of Ephesians 6:16 it says, “Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

Bottom Line:

Let your faith be a shield, it will stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one

What this means to me:

At all times I’m to carry and use my faith as a shield; for with it I will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Today’s passage comes from the last part of Ephesians, where Paul speaks of using the armor that God provides. He tells me to be strong and put on all of God's armor so that I will be able to stand firm against the strategies of the enemy. For I'm not fighting against flesh and blood but rather the evil rules and authorities of this unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

I therefore should arm myself with every piece of God's armor so that I can resist the enemy in the time of evil and stand strong. I'm to put on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, I am to put on peace that comes from the Good News so that I'll be fully prepared. In addition, I should hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Lastly I am to put on salvation as my helmet, and take on the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. I am to pray in at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in my prayers for others.

So when I first believed in Christ, the enemy and his army became my enemy. They have the ultimate goal of defeating Christ's church. As such they will try every device to turn me away from Him, and His work and back to my sin. Although I'm assured of victory, I must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the Lord's side. I need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided this by giving me his Holy Spirit within me and his armor that surrounds me.

Today I read, “If what I’m doing doesn’t produce resistance, it isn’t worth doing. If I’m doing what God has called me to do and I’m neck-deep in hot water, shout Hallelujah! For I would be in the perfect place for God’s richest blessings.”

I should consider that kites rise against the wind, not with it. Ships sail against the tide. So when something happens in my life, what do I do? Sing or complain? I should start working with God to resolve situation or sink back into the recliner and moan another verse of “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”?

Trials will always be part of life. What will I do when that day comes for me? In the life of a Believer, the only answer is to cry out to God and put on your spiritual armor so that when the enemy shoots in my direction, his darts will not penetrate my protective shield.

What am i waiting for? I should take a stand today for righteousness’ sake. Insulate myself with the Word of God and then fight! Greater is He who is within me than he that is in the world.

I needed this reminder this morning. Seems recently not facing much opposition. I know I have a new assignment that I have undertaken, but I’ve let myself become complacent / take a back seat in accomplishing it. I’m certain that this is the enemy at work, keeping me for doing work that can help build the kingdom. Today I need to re-engage and re-focus myself. I should already know that I will face opposition, so I should be prepared.

Humility and Resistance

In review of James 4:7 it says, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”

Bottom Line:

Submit to God. Resist the enemy and he will flee.

What this means to me:

I am to humble myself before God. I am to resist the devil and he will flee from me.

Today's passage from James 4 comes right after James tells me that "God will opposes the proud, but give grace to the humble." So he tells me to humble myself before God. If I resist the devil, he will flee from me. If I come close to God, God will come close to me. I should think about my life and my choices. Is my loyalty being divided between God and the world? I should be sorrowful for those things that I have followed (and maybe still following), that take me and my focus away from him. Instead of exalting myself, I should be humble before the Lord. For in His timing he will lift me up.

As I get knocked down by life’s circumstances, I should not give an alibi or give up. Rather I should give it another try. God does not sponsor flops, nor does he manufacture junk. I am not a victim, I am a victor. All things are possible for me.

When it seems the enemy is throwing the kitchen sink at me, I can rise up and fight! I can put on the full armor of God and start waging war against the enemy.  As I humble myself before God and resist the enemy, God will begin to bind those things on earth that are against me. I can take heart in knowing that in the end, if I am faithful, I will gain the reward he has planned out for me.

One thing is true about my time here on earth, I’m never going to outgrow warfare. So James encourages me to stand in there and fight like the champion God made me to be. In the long run God designed me for victory!