Ever Consider That God Allows Both Good and Bad?

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.“ (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

Sometimes I am so quick to blame the devil for the tough times I face.  Reality is that sometimes God allows it.  On the flip side, there are times I give myself credit for the good times and I have to be deliberate in remembering that all good things come from God.

He blends our lives with good and bad.  Why?  It keeps us from predicting what the future may hold for us.  So then, we can’t rely on human wisdom… be it ours or someone elses.

We just have to trust Him and walk in faith.   Clever God.

Here is the problem, though.  I like my life to be controllable and predictable and I work hard to make it be.  For example:

1. I always put my tweezers in the same place so I can find them when I need to pluck that annoying chin hair (don’t laugh… you do too!)
2. I follow a strict time-line in the mornings so the kids get off to school without a hitch.
3. I put every date and reminder in my BlackBerry so I don’t miss something along the way.
4. I have a dry-erase board on the fridge that highlights the family’s weekly schedule.
5. I start buying birthday and Christmas presents in January.

I like to have things planned and in order.

But you know what I find when everything in my world gels like I like it to?  I get a bit complacent in my faith… because I’m not having to work overtime to make it all come together.  Nor am I having to trust God with the parts that are out of my reach.

That is NOT the Christian life.

When I get too comfortable, God allows (uses) bad times to bring me back to Him.  I wonder if you recognize that in your life as well?

I’ll be honest, even though I am in ministry with my speaking and writing… sometimes I get so wrapped up in the “tasks” that I overlook the “relationship.”

Satan loves that.

He knows that God is my power source and when I am not plugged into Him daily, my efforts to share what God has done in my life will eventually fall flat.  I will wear out or get bitter in battle.  That is… in my own strength.

But God doesn’t want that to happen… so He will use difficulties and hardships to drive me back to my knees and once again come under His submission.

I love Him for that!  (But usually not in the midst of it!)  😉

Are you in a valley right now?  Is life a bit bigger than you seem to be able to handle?  Is there some uncertainty up ahead?  Don’t be so quick to blame the Enemy.

Maybe… just maybe… God is trying to get your attention.

Think about it….

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