Earlier this week I was sitting outside sipping my coffee and just enjoying the stillness of the morning before the girls woke up. I started looking towards the girls play set. We have had the best time on those swings this summer. It has not been an easy summer but when we are swinging on the swing set or on the tree swing, all is right in the world. As I was looking over the swing set it hit me. This swing set will not be here forever. The girls will grow up and the boards will rot and be thrown away (okay, maybe not. I have a plan to re-purpose them when the time comes. I'm too sentimental too just throw it all in the trash). Without thinking much about it I said, "God you are good. Thank you for this swing set because it means I have kids to swing on it". That simple thought started a movement in my heart.
In my world the word blessed is used a lot. "God blessed me with a new car", "We got a big house with more room than we need, we are so blessed". Is it like that in your world too? I never hear people say, "My world is crumbling and there is not much I can do about it, but I am blessed". It feels like it is only used when we are given something bigger and better than we previously had. That makes it easy to look at the struggles and trials I am in and think, “well, I am not blessed, God must not see me”. Some times other peoples blessings feel like our curse. I'm not saying it's right,but we are human and it is hard some times. I look at women that are doing exactly what I thought I would always be doing with my life and I think "God has blessed them. He must like them more. They are better than I am. I must not be good enough".
I love when the preacher preaches about the thing God has been teaching me this week. He started out his sermon today asking people to name the ways that God has been good to them. My first thought was, “goodness, I have been thinking about this all week”. I almost stood up and listed my stuff but that's not my style. He continued with his sermon, he read a scripture I have never heard before. Romans 2:11, "God does not choose favorites". A lump formed in my throat. God doesn't choose favorites? I thought that other people were more blessed than I am because God likes them more (I'm just going to *insert here* that I learned this week that on the enneagram, I am a four. So this thinking isn't necessarily a flaw it is just how I am wired. So I know I'm not alone though!). I read it over and over "God does not choose favorites". I am chosen. Purely, simply, I am not above or below. God is good to me because I belong to Him. I am not blessed because I have more. I am not disliked because I have less. I experience Gods goodness because I am His.
I'm not in any way trying to say that God doesn't bless us and that we aren't blessed or we shouldn't count our blessings and name them one by one. I just want to remind you that God is good. Even when we don't feel blessed. God is good and it is pure and simple. I want to encourage you to identifying all the ways God has been good to you. We are blessed all the time by God. We are blessed by God BECAUSE he is good. He doesnt just bless us with money he blesses us with health and love and most importantly, salvation. In my world, "good" has been over looked, but now "good" has a whole new meaning. Good is pure and simple. I like simple. This week I am have been trying to identify all of the ways that God is good to me. Honestly, I think they have the same meaning, God is good and he blessed me with fill-in-the-blank ... I just really like to think of things in the perspective of Gods goodness and not my blessings. It makes it easier to see all the ways God has been good to me.
My children. Although one is really strong willed and it is exhausting, God is good for giving her a strong personality, I know she will use it well one day.
God is good for giving me a sweet little one that will literally laugh while the other has a tantrum. She reminds me it is okay to smile during the hard times. God is good.
After praying for four years to have mom friends that live in my zip code. I finally feel like I have some quality friendships. Gods goodness.
When the surgery goes well. God is good.
When the surgery doesn't go well but I have peace about the outcome. God is good.
When my best friend says she wants me to delete her phone number. It sucks, but God is good, because he protected me from something I can't see.
When the car breaks down but a friend offers help. God is good.
When I lose my dream job but a door opens up to a less stressful job. God is good.
When life doesn't feel like it is full of easy fun days but you still have love and peace. God is good.
I could keep going but I think you get it.
God is good. It is simple and pure. When we look at our life through the simple and pure perspective of Gods goodness we will begin to feel His blessings. God doesn't choose favorites. He is good to all of us. Even if you can't see Gods goodness in your life, if the pit of despair is that dark, Jesus Christ died for you so that you would not have to suffer for eternity in hell. That is Gods goodness and that is enough, that is all you need.
My challenge for you is to identify 10 different ways God his good in your life. Write them down every day for the next week. Share them here or on my Facebook or Instagram if you would like so others can see that God is good.
