Skip to main content

“God’s plan is good.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (p. 253). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Yes it is but all that is happening around us isn’t good.  Yesterday was 9/11.  It was not a good day in so many people’s lives.  So many people want to blame God for what happened.  If His plan is good then why did that happen?  But in the Lord’s Prayer we pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  His perfect will is done in heaven but not done on earth. But if we put our trust in Him all things will work out for our good.  Even the 9/11’s of our life.

God told Jeremiah in chapter 29 and verse 11 (NIV), “The plans I have for you [are] plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Then in Genesis 50: 20 (NIV), Joseph told his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”  Hezekiah echoed the same sentiment about his life-threatening illness in Isaiah 38: 17 (CEV), “It was for my own good that I had such hard times.”  Also remember that when God says no to our request, “God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.” - Hebrews 12: 10b (MSG)

I like the quote that Rick gives of Corrie ten Boom who suffered in a Nazi death camp, as she explained the power of focus: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!” Your focus determines your feelings.

As Rick says, “It is vital that you stay focused on God’s plan, not your pain or problem. That is how Jesus endured the pain of the cross, and we are urged to follow his example.”  Hebrews 12: 2a (LB), “Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards.”

I start every day before anything happens reminding myself that God is good.  Everything that will happen in my day must go through His goodness.  Yes His plan is good.

Now that is true if you have a relationship with Him.  If you don’t have a relationship with Him then what happens to you is not filtered through His goodness.  If it draws you to Him then it can turn out for your good.  I know of people who turned over their life to God after 9/11.  Good came into their life because of the bad. 

As Rick says, “Problems don’t automatically produce what God intends. Many people become bitter, rather than better and never grow up. You have to respond the way Jesus would.”  And that is your choice.

So what are you going to do?

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“God does big things with small deeds.”

A thought by Max Lucado (2011-05-02) from his book, Cure for the Common Life (p. 115). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I don’t know how you feel about what you are doing and how it can make a difference.   You may feel that it is so small and not even worth the effort. Max says, “Begin. Just begin! What seems small to you might be huge to someone else. Just ask Bohn Fawkes. During World War II, he piloted a B-17. On one mission he sustained flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though his gas tanks were hit, the plane did not explode, and Fawkes was able to land the plane. “On the morning following the raid, Fawkes asked his crew chief for the German shell. He wanted to keep a souvenir of his incredible good fortune. The crew chief explained that not just one but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks, none of which had exploded. “Technicians opened the missiles and found them void of explosive cha...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...
Post a Comment
Read more

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...
Post a Comment
Read more