by sue a allen
The Greek word for goodness is agathosume. It is more than an excellence of character; it is character energized by expressing itself in benevolent and active goodness. The fruit of the Spirit referred to as goodness is like kindness on steroids. It is everything that kindness is and represents, but one step more. It has an edge. It is extremely active. It doesn’t sit back and relax or take the easy road. In fact, goodness does not avoid confrontation, discipline and accountability because it is in for the long haul.
And although the journey may be painful at times, God will use difficulty in order to bring out the good.
This life is chock full of difficulty. No one is immune from it. But I don’t want you to think, for even a second, God has forgotten about you. He is always watching over you. He does care about you.
Psalm 121:5, “The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.”
For many, it is a struggle to believe God is good.
You could not utter those words right now because of the current dilemma you are facing. You feel like the flood waters have come and they are engulfing you. You are barely surviving. You feel like you can barely hang on. In times like this, we must grasp onto Scripture in order to remind ourselves God is there. Yes, indeed, He is watching. You may feel like the waves are going to swallow you up whole. But let me tell you something, God has a word for you.
Jeremiah 5:22, “Do you not fear me? declares the Lord. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.”
I love the thought of God setting boundaries around the bad stuff in our lives. Yes, we might be tested for awhile. Yes, this life may be tough. However, ultimately, God is in control and although the waves may come crashing in, they will not prevail.
When the waves do come, let’s allow them to crash us into THE ROCK of solid ground.
In closing, here are some of my favorite lyrics from an old hymn…
“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
I needed to read these words right now. We’re going through a bad time right now, but through prayer, we’re getting over it. Thank you for the daily inspiration.
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