975 Give Me Good Things

Well dang if sometimes it doesn’t feel like God is just against you! What you want you do not have, and what you have is not what you wanted. It’s as if good things elude you and are continually within sight, yet out of reach. I know you’ve been asking why. I know you’re wondering why you are being denied of the things you want. Well, let’s talk about it! Psalm 84:11 “The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” Hmmmm, okay, so clearly I’m not doing something right. If God rewards those who do what is right with ALL good things, and I’m missing a few key good things, then I’m doing something wrong. Maybe. Maybe there are things you need to work on to be in alignment with God’s goodness. Absolutely, that’s a valuable thing to consider. But instead of getting stuck in this perpetual game of questioning if anything you do is ever right, just remember making your will to seek his will is enough. When your plans are to follow his plans, even when you fail along the way, he honors your faithfulness. If you’re seeking, then he’s revealing. If you’re following, then he’s leading. If you’re asking, then he is answering. If you’re truly trying to do what is right, then he is making it right. Yes, he’s that powerful, so you can stop the never ending questioning of yourself. Are your intentions pure? Are you truly seeking God’s will? Are you submitted to his plans? Great … then you qualify! Even though you may not always do it right, you are seeking to do what IS right, therefore you qualify for God’s blessing of withholding no good thing from you. That’s freaking awesome … but in reality when you look around, it sure feels like God is holding out on you, doesn’t it? Why haven’t you gotten that promotion? The promotion is good. Why was the door closed? It was a dang good door. Why did this not work out? It seemed like it should have worked. Why hasn’t this relationship been restored? Why hasn’t this changed? Why were you not chosen? Why don’t you have it yet? Why is God withholding this goodness from you? Maybe it’s not happening for you, not because you’re not good enough or because it in itself isn’t good, but simply because it isn’t good for you. If God is withholding this good thing from you as you’re faithfully seeking his best plan for your life, then maybe this good thing isn’t good enough right now. Maybe this good thing would cause you to miss God’s greater plans for you. Maybe this good thing would bring temporary satisfaction but cause future disappointment, and God in all of his wisdom knows that future disappointment would derail you from your divine destiny. So, temporary satisfaction is denied for your greater good, and you don’t get what you want. But, you don’t know that right now. You can’t see how the withholding of this thing you want is for your ultimate benefit. But, can you trust it? Can you trust if your good good Father is withholding anything from you, it is because it’s not what is best for you. Can you bring your broken heart, your disappointed soul, your confused thoughts, and your disrupted plans to the Almighty and once again seek what he may be doing here that you don’t currently understand? Our dog Tank is 130 pounds of sheer joy. This dog wakes up happy to be alive every day, always ready for the next great adventure. He’s my idea of perfection. It’s taken 6 years to get him to this place of obedience, but we’re finally here. And it’s good. So good, until there is a ball. When a ball is present, this dog loses his mind. He goes completely berserk. Jumping and spinning,