God is good, all the time.

At the end of the day, no matter what happens, God is good. When wonderful things come your way, God is good. When everything blows up, God is still good. Our circumstances don’t change His nature. And that’s very comforting, because we know that no matter what, He will always be good.

It’s not always easy to see His goodness in the middle of a big, hairy problem, but it’s still true. It takes effort on our part to rise up above the issues and continue to bless Him. Very often, that alone will send the answers we need.

Rain or shine, God is good and we bless His name because He is God. He deserves our praise despite how we feel. He’s that good! Even when we create our own problems, if we give them over to Him and trust Him, we can relax because we know He will work it out.

That ability to relax no matter what is a tremendous blessing to us, so we praise Him for His kindness, His goodness, and His constant love for us, even when there are bills to pay and kids with runny noses. Give the stress to Him and let Him show you His goodness. Rest in Him and bless His name. He’s there for you.

God is working in you for your destiny.

How amazing it would be if we lived our lives “on earth as it is in heaven”. God sees us so differently than we see ourselves. He sees us through the blood of Christ without imperfection. We are perfect. He sees the destiny that He planned for each one of us.

That destiny can be ours, but we have to be willing to submit ourselves to Him to make it happen. Where we are today, who we are today is probably a long way from what that destiny looks like.

What will He need to do in us to make us into what we are called to be? We’ll have to be changed. Change usually hurts! We hate it. But when we stop and consider that we are being transformed, it’s easier to accept.

Whatever God has planned for you is going to be awesome, because He knows your heart’s desire, your gifts, and talents, so whatever it takes to get you to your destiny will be worth it. Trust Him. What you are going through now may not make sense to you, but it may have great value in shaping you for what you will become.

God does not see you the way you see you.

When we look in the mirror, we tend to see blemishes. We’re trained to see everything wrong, inside and out. Competition is alive and well in our society, and we are pressured to pursue perfection from all sides. When we come to Christ, we can bring in all those old, unhealthy attitudes with us.

Comparing ourselves to other people is a bad idea. Looking up to people and being inspired is good, but gauging our spirituality with others is not. Growth is personal and, what you see in others may not be what God sees.

God does not see problems like you see problems. He looks at what you’re missing and steers you toward developing you into what He wants you to be. He’s not as judgmental as we think He is. Which means, we should not be either.

Turn your attention to the things God wants for you instead of what you think is wrong. It’s a completely different mindset. If you have a temper issue, then you really need peace and patience. God has that. If you live in fear, you need a great shot of love so you understand that God will completely take care of you.

Stop listening to the voice that says you’re not good enough, and start listening to the God who thinks you’re fantastic.

It is very dangerous to assume that because God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that He will not be mean. We moved from an Old Testament view of God dealing vengefully against Israel when they sinned to the realm of grace and love. But don’t be lulled by the sweetness of the message. God still means business.

forgiveness is not an option

Mat 18 23:35 tells the story of the servant who was forgiven a huge debt, but sent a fellow servant to prison for a minor debt. The master was furious with the unforgiving servant and sent him to the torturers until he paid all that was due.

What did Jesus have to say about not forgiving people? So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. (18:35)

Do not be misled by the message of love. Yes, His love is far beyond anything you can imagine with your human understanding, but He demands obedience. If you have been forgiven of every sin you confess, then you must forgive others who offend you. There is no middle ground because you don’t feel like it. Go back and read that verse again. It’s frightening. Forgiveness is not an option.