Living the Blessed Life

The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds. ~Psalm 145:17

When we learn that people have received answers to prayers, we might say, “God is good!”

When things go right, we continue with, “God is faithful!” We may associate living the good life with images of ease, comfortable scenarios, and dreamy settings. We often ascribe the words “blessed” and “blessing” to these circumstances. I have undoubtedly had this mindset countless times. It’s natural to think this way when things fall into place. We’ve learned to say “blessed” in our culture, and believers and unbelievers alike use this terminology.

Challenges in Life

However, when everything we prayed for falls apart, and when we lose everything for which we’ve begged God, do we still bless Him and declare that He is good? Did we when our heart was pure, our devotion faithful, and our giving all, but instead of blessing, we experienced tragedy, loss, horrible situations, pain, suffering, grief, or damage? When those kinds of life situations arise, we may struggle to still believe God is good. Sometimes, we may feel as if He has abandoned us.

Wrestling

My life has led to these uncomfortable questions arising on many occasions. It’s valid, raw, and complex to wrestle with these thoughts. But I am certain of this: Life isn’t about attaining success, and having things fall into place as we’ve planned or prayed for. Rather, life is about recognizing that God’s character is not contingent on the circumstances or outcomes in our lives.

Decisions

He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say that I am?”  ~Matthew 16:15 MSG

Sometimes, living the good life in God doesn’t look as we imagined at all. God is still good, faithful, and loving, regardless of how situations work out. We should invite this truth into our pain, disappointment, and heartache. God’s unwavering light shines through every dark shadow that life includes. I cringe at the idea that we ascribe goodness to God’s character only when we get what we want. Instead, we should remember that the ugliness of life does not diminish who God is. He is still good and faithful. And He is still God whether life sparkles or aches.

Always Good

Regardless of the good, the great, or the ugly, we can encourage one another to recognize that God is always good. We can reclaim the truth that His goodness remains no matter what curveball life throws. As believers, we should anchor our hopes in God’s faithfulness, irrespective of any circumstance. When we do this, we find hope, healing, and peace. We can hide our thoughts securely in God. Through all of life’s challenges, we can lean on Him as we walk through our day.

When life throws you a curveball and things do not go optimally, still acknowledge that God is good. 

Father God, I don’t always understand why tough situations arise, but I thank You that You remain the same good, faithful, and wise Father who never changes. Thank You for being good. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction Copyright 2024: God Is Good: Kristi LaRee: All Rights Reserved