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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Definition of good

Last week in chapel, I leaned over to Larissa and remarked "God's definition of good is a lot different than our definition." It was in reference to what the chapel speaker was talking about, which was something along the lines of a classic Romans 8:28 "all things work together for good" talk - he made some good points about it not being what we expect. To take this even further, we must realize that not only do bad things sometimes happen for our good, but that even our good might not be what we think it should be.

Throughout life, terrible things may happen, and healing and wholeness will come if you know Christ - does this mean that after every bad thing a "good" thing must follow? I'm afraid not. Job's family didn't get returned to him, his crops didn't miraculously grow back, his scars remained.

This can be a really hard stumbling place. We want so badly to believe that God is going bless our life with goodness, our version of good. Oh, but our version of good is so far from His. I admit my thoughts have been battling with this in a particular situation. So God of course showed me where my weakness was, and hit me hard.

Last night I was reading Psalm 82, and I got to verses 11-12 "For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you."

Ah, tempting. I smiled because we....I want to take this to mean "my dreams will come true!" My dreams and desires will come true, if my dreams are to be refined and shaped into my Father's will, constantly being humbled by His loving, discipling hand working in my heart and on my mind. The secret desires in my heart, although they might not be bad, feelings I have, hopes for my future--ultimately must be surrendered at the feet of my Lord. I know that His goodness is what I want for my life, and if that is not what I see as goodness, I will have all the more joy knowing His good is mine.

If this were not challenging enough, I have one final thought on this matter. A thought that every selfish cell in my body wants to reject. In The Litany of Humility (see my first blog post from last year or my first of 2011) there is a line that says "that others may be loved more than I, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it."

That's enough already! Don't I get to be selfish at all, God? No, Emma. You don't.

Okay, well, this isn't going to be easy.

But, it will be good.

"It is true, all saints will not have the same degree of happiness, but all will be as happy as their hearts desire." -George Whitefield

3 comments:

Donna Boucher said...

" but, I don't like the fire."

God cares about our souls almost exclusively.
Circumstances....happiness....as you would say, meh!

How we love and care for others....bingo

:o)

Amen

Joel.de.Sousa said...

these words are true and good, God's kind of good, not ours.

jep said...

Thanks be to God for taking us on your journey!
love and prayers, jep

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