For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Psalms 84:11 (NIV)
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalms 34:10 (NIV)
God always has our best interest at heart – always. His eye is on every heir of mercy for their good – even in (and probably most especially in) the hard. Sometimes we must address whatever we believe “good” is, Amen? Get our “wanters” fixed, so to speak. We definitely want what He wants even if it is difficult. Often the hardest things in our lives produce the sweetest effects. The olives must be pressed for oil and the grapes crushed for wine. Nothing befalls those whom Jesus loves that does not prove good for them. That is the promise of Scripture. Whenever it ceases to be so, we will be removed out of it. Wherever life finds us – whatever condition we may be in – if we love Him, we may be certain it is working for our good. The “thing” itself may not be “good” but what it is working in and through us will be for our ultimate good.
This mindset can often come with great opposition to our human reasoning but it does not negate the fact that it is still true. That is the glorious promise of Scripture. He daily loads us with benefits using all He allows to conform us into the image of His Son which is very good news – perhaps even the best news. We want to be like Jesus. We are created for a purpose and that is to be like Him – to walk as He walked – through His power and for His glory. He being the firstborn among many brothers. Christ’s love will give you whatever you can desire for what reasonable person can desire that which is not good?
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28-31 (NIV)
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Colossians 4:12 (NIV)