Why Is God So Good To Us?

The short answer is because He loves us. Because of His love, He delights in giving us good gifts. I know I'm supposed to praise Him for who He is...not for what He's done...but what He's done is so amazing that I feel like I just have to praise both. I'll elaborate. (Of course, you knew I would!)

Back at the end of April, I asked God for a very specific thing...a mini-vacation for our family. And because I'm so thorough and love to plan, I even priced out exactly how much we would need to accomplish this. I even had it timed out so we could drive overnight both ways and Dale wouldn't miss any work.

When I was challenged by the Holy Spirit to start being more transparent with our children about our finances Been Doing Some Praising This Morning we wrote down a desire of our hearts and that desire was to be able to take this mini-vacation...but we acknowledged that only God could provide the finances to do it. And guess what, yesterday, someone we know and love...with absolutely NO knowledge of this prayer request, called me to ask if they could pay for something "fun" for us to do. We talked about a couple of options and I still don't know where we'll go or what we'll do, but in the back of my mind all I could think was, "You did it! You did it!" It sounds wrong to say 'I can't believe You did it!' But that's the colloquialism that comes to mind. Thing is...I DID believe He would do it! I remember telling my kids on May 1st, "I just believe that some way, somehow, He is going to do this."

And yet again this week, as rent was coming due Dale & I had to make some tough choices. We had to choose to let go of some "things" to help us pay rent...but we did this only as led by the Holy Spirit. And while some people might say, 'Oh how sad that you had to let go of that item,' I chose to thank God for providing it all those years ago so that on this day...we would have it for this circumstance. I also praise Him that He's changed our hearts to the point that letting go of these things was not depressing or sad...it even brought peace and yes, rent for another month.

So why two years ago, did I ever wallow and wonder if God cared or even saw what was happening to us? Why did I doubt His provision, His care and His love? I never want to preach a prosperity gospel and I never want anyone to come away from this blog or a conversation with me believing that I'm promoting rewards are received from God based on our behavior. There are too many desperately poor and suffering Christians around the world for me to teach such a lie...so what I'm about to say, I say prayerfully and carefully:

• I doubted because I did not trust Him.
• I doubted because I believed the lie that things were what I needed to make me happy.
• I doubted because I did not find my fulfillment, my purpose and my joy in Him and Him alone.
• I doubted because I wasn't seeking His advice, His counsel, His wisdom moment by moment.
• I doubted because I thought a certain dollar figure in the bank would bring me security.

The difference now?

He says, "Give!" and we give what He says and to whom. He says, "Sit and listen," and I open my Bible and ask Him to lead. He says, "Come away with me," and my most cherished time of each day becomes my time alone with Him. He says, "Go ahead, ask Me the big things...with confidence...because I want no one else to be able to receive the glory," and I ask Him what seems like the most preposterous request.

Time and again...and I believe with unlimited opportunities still to come...He is proving that E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G He does is for my good and His glory.
Do you believe that? If not, cry out to Him, "I believe, forgive my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) And some may feel like what I asked for was not appropriate...even frivolous. My only answer to that would be that only my Abba knows exactly what I need and I would not have asked for it had He not led me to do so.

Trust Him! Ask Him to show you His glory and His power! He will do it! He's just that good!
Amen!