I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, [and] the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us. He brought me up… out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings.– The Son of God,… loved me, and gave himself for me.– He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
DailyLight Isa 63:7, Ps 40:2, Gal 2:20, Rom 8:32
These scriptures are a perfect reflection of how I feel this morning, sitting reading scriptures and writing a devotional reading in the quiet of this lakeside campground site. I got to spend the afternoon and evening with my husband, daughter and future son-in-law at the lake and campsite. We talked and laughed and rode on the boat and had dinner together. It was the kind of family time I’ve always wanted.
This is the time when it is easy to praise Him and remember how good He is. However, His lovingkindness is there everyday, available through the good and bad times. He is always wanting to show His care for me. His mercies are new every morning. Just sometimes the circumstances here on earth don’t reflect His unchanging goodness toward me.
Today, it feels like God loves me and made a perfect day just for me. But just because I don’t feel this same way on more mundane days doesn’t mean God loves me any less. This day is a gift of God, but is not the norm, and wishing that everyday was like this gift day (or vacation) will only set me up for disappointment.
I guess I let what I see with my eyes and feel with my flesh determine whether or not I think God is blessing me. However, the truth is that what God did for me through the death of Jesus Christ thousands of years ago is still as true as if it happened yesterday. I think back to the day I received salvation and the weight of my sinfulness was rolled off of me and I experienced peace and joy for the first time in my life. If I compare my feelings that day with the way I feel today, it is quite the same. So why don’t I feel like this more often?
If I could feel so good then without any external circumstances feeding me (actually accepting the Lord meant real conflict in my Jewish family), then obviously I should be able to feel this good on any day, because His salvation is true everyday. The penalty for my sins has still been removed from me as far as the east is from the west. I am FREE to experience God’s love and goodness every minute of my life.
I think I have to close my eyes and remember this day when other days are not as pleasant. This way I can remind myself that the same God who made this exquisite day for me is still on the throne and still loving and kind. Regardless of what I am seeing with my eyes and feeling with my flesh, my God can make another exquisite day for me again.
Penny Haynes
http://ChristianWomenWithDepression.com