"It
is not cruel, unjust or wicked of God to wound you in such a way that knocks
out from under you the props of self-reliance and puts your reliance completely
on Him."
"It's not cruel of God at all to take from you what might lead you into an eternity of sorrow to give to you sorrow now that leads to an eternity of ever-increasing joy."
"When God wields the scalpel, it's never an act of cruelty. It's always an act of mercy. His allowance (of suffering or His discipline) is to create maturity and a clinging to Him to produce hope and healing."
"It's not cruel of God at all to take from you what might lead you into an eternity of sorrow to give to you sorrow now that leads to an eternity of ever-increasing joy."
"When God wields the scalpel, it's never an act of cruelty. It's always an act of mercy. His allowance (of suffering or His discipline) is to create maturity and a clinging to Him to produce hope and healing."
-Matt Chandler, The Village Church
Often it can be hard for us to know and believe in God's goodness when we feel like we're suffering, going through hard times or experiencing His discipline/pruning, versus when our circumstances are ideal. But honestly I find the reality of His goodness in the most trying of circumstances even more compelling! I LOVE it about God that His first priority for us is always relationship with Him, because it is precisely why and how we were created to live and He knows it's the only thing that completely saves and fulfills us and leads us into our eternity of joy, which is being with Him forever!!
Often it can be hard for us to know and believe in God's goodness when we feel like we're suffering, going through hard times or experiencing His discipline/pruning, versus when our circumstances are ideal. But honestly I find the reality of His goodness in the most trying of circumstances even more compelling! I LOVE it about God that His first priority for us is always relationship with Him, because it is precisely why and how we were created to live and He knows it's the only thing that completely saves and fulfills us and leads us into our eternity of joy, which is being with Him forever!!
In light of this His love
and mercy are so unthinkably great that He WOULD test and refine us by allowing
these kinds of trials and suffering in our lives, no matter how we are
perceiving or understanding them at the time, just to get us into that place of
dependency only on and pursuing above all that closeness with Him. These are
the very things that push us right into His loving embrace where we discover so
much more of who He is and how He lives and identifies with us in brokenness
(Isa. 57:15), and where we know with full assurance that He and He alone is our
living, unfailing hope who will over & over again Himself revive us! And
knowing HIM this way in relationship is the whole essence of what we most need,
worth any and every cost (which He shows us in the love of Christ). Because when
our heart and our flesh fail (which they do) HE is our strength and our portion
(Ps. 73:26). And when we give our lives to Him as an offering for His praise
and glory and when we will live in glad submission to Him and His will we are
saying God, do with me as YOU see best. I am like clay in Your hands (Jer. 18).
And ultimately I trust in You and Your sovereign love as You mold and shape me
as a new creation in Christ, that You work everything for my good (Rom. 8:28)
and Your glory. Yes, even when I don't understand...Your ways and thoughts are
so much higher than my own (Isa. 55:8-9). I lean NOT on my own understanding
but trust in You with ALL my heart (Prov. 3:5-6). With my whole life, whatever
comes my way, I will count it all joy and praise You! Because You are good, and
what You do is good (Ps. 119:68). It was GOOD for me to be afflicted so that I
might learn your decrees! (v. 71). God disciplines us for our good that we may
share in His holiness, and it yields a harvest of peace and righteousness! (Heb
12)...this is the pure love, mercy and goodness of God! So we give Him thanks
maybe even moreso in times of discipline, pruning and/or trials of any kind,
because they are guarantees of His faithful & glorious Presence and signs
of His hand and His Word at work in our lives! God is FOR us! AND He rejoices
over and delights in us, and He is so pleased to give us the riches of His
glorious inheritance and every spiritual blessing in Christ. Hallelujah! How
amazing is our God!!!
And this also why we are continually taking in and meditating on His Word..."If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction." (Ps. 119:92). God never intends for us to perish in our afflictions, whatever they are, but to be living and thriving on and delighting in the promises of His Word, which sustains all things and breathes such life into us! So to have our hearts and minds filled and aligned with His Truth is how we will, regardless of circumstances or anything else, continue to rejoice in Him and in the hope of His glory! :D
And this also why we are continually taking in and meditating on His Word..."If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction." (Ps. 119:92). God never intends for us to perish in our afflictions, whatever they are, but to be living and thriving on and delighting in the promises of His Word, which sustains all things and breathes such life into us! So to have our hearts and minds filled and aligned with His Truth is how we will, regardless of circumstances or anything else, continue to rejoice in Him and in the hope of His glory! :D
