“Do you believe the heart of God is good towards YOU?”
“What do your actions reveal regarding the two above questions- in good times, difficult times, and unbearable times?”
Many years ago my family went through seven years of unfair and unbearable trials leaving everyone of us deeply wounded, completely undone, and questioning if God even cared. I stayed on “my face” before Him day after day begging for His victory to break through the mire, the mud, and the continuous lies, but the fiery darts continued pounding and tearing at our hearts. In the end of the seventh year another huge disappointment came, and I felt more defeated and confused in my Christian walk than ever before. At this point I could barely open my Bible without doubting the goodness of God or believing He even cared.
One Sunday morning at the end of all hope I ran into our Pastor, and he asked about my family. All I could say with a heavy heart was:
“Pastor, I have seen good, and I have seen evil. And I have seen evil win!”
I could tell he was not expecting a response like that, and he stood there for a moment and pondered my words. He looked into my eyes and spoke firmly and lovingly these words of truth.
“Yes Ashley, just like Jesus’ family, followers, and friends saw that day on the Cross. They watched Him get brutally beaten, betrayed, and hung. They saw “evil” and they saw “good” (Jesus), and they saw evil win (or so they thought).
---BUT GOD had a plan, and His plan was GREATER!”
A lightening bolt as if from heaven jolted my heart, and a light broke forth in the darkness where I had been dwelling. It was the “goodness of God’s heart towards me” that I had not believed. I asked for forgiveness, and His peace consumed me.
Our victory did come at the very end of the seventh year, and oh how sweet it was. I can look back now and see many miracles God did in and through our family through that difficult season. We also now have great empathy for others who face the same mountains.
Please evaluate your heart and ask yourself daily –
“Do I trust that the heart of God is good towards ME?” Read again and ponder on the words the Pastor spoke to me, and may the Holy Spirit bath your precious heart and mind in the truth that it brings.
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