I shared my testimony last night with my new friend. I told her how I had different plans for my life and how at every turn I was asked to give up those plans. At the time it caused me great pain. I could not see what God was protecting me from. I only saw what I was giving up. I only saw that I was standing still while so many of my peers were moving along, checking off their checklist of societies’ “most achieved”. What was I achieving? It did not seem to be much at the time but now looking back on the journey I can see my riches were being stored up in heaven.
Because I did not understand God’s ways and why I had to keep surrendering it distorted my view of who He was/is. I did not believe that He was good or He was for me or He was love, even if I said I did. I loved Him, but I did not trust Him. He of course knew this so He set about presenting various tests to buld my trust. We cannot have a tesimony without a test.
I have had several tests and I can see the progression in them; they keep getting harder and harder. I believe that is because there is more at stake and a greater harvest to be had. Just as I can look back at these tests I can look back and see the rewards. I can see now what I could not see then: God is good.
He is a good Father working all for the good. He loves to give good gifts to His children but He wants to make sure you can be entrusted with the gift first. The more valueable the gift, the more you need to mature to receive it. Just as a parent would not give a toddler an expensive glass vase to hold, God would not entrust us with His prized jewels, until we are trustworthy. We prove we are trustworthy when we pass His tests.
He always gives us grace to pass. He does not ask us to do anything we can’t do. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
I’m glad to finally be able to see, God is good.
He is for me.
And He is love.
Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalms 37:3
“Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness”
SHALOM
