Tuesday, July 10, 2007

All Things for Good

I'm thankful that God can use all things for good to those that love Him and have been called according to His purpose. Sometimes, when faced with one of those decisions that can make your life change in a big way based on what you choose, I tend to freeze. You know, just not make the decision at all. Of course, often not making the decision one way or another really is making the decision not to do what you were considering (at least not at that time). And "freezing" is a good way to waste a lot of time that could be better spent on other activities. Other times, I make a decision and later still think about the "what if's" - how life could have maybe been if I had gone the other direction. Dwelling too much on changes we might have made in past decisions is not very healthy. Some reflection is good, but it is better to be so filled with gladness of heart from God that you seldom dwell on the past.

I used to get real down on myself when I felt I had made a bad decision, but have come to realize that God created me as I am. Being a mistake-prone human who is not yet perfect is what God created. So, a mistake is something that I not only have made in the past, but will definitely make in the future. God doesn't condemn us for mistakes. In fact he looks at us through the lens of Christ and what Christ does and forgives our sins and failings when we confess them to him.

And. . . somehow he can use our decisions and actions that are often reached through strange logic or poor impulse for His good and glory. It's hard to see it at the time, but easier to see from the past. Based on past events in our lives and the lives of those we read about or see around us we can trust God in the present.

I'm trusting God for the future as He not only knows it, but cares about me and will give me strength to face it.

6 comments:

Elijah said...

Thanks for this reminder!

"Dwelling too much on changes we might have made in past decisions is not very healthy. Some reflection is good, but it is better to be so filled with gladness of heart from God that you seldom dwell on the past."

AMEN!

I too sometimes dwell on the past.

I'm reminded of these verses from Philippians 3:12-14:
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

May we all learn from the example of Paul and not focus on the past.

I *often* need to remind myself to stop worrying and trust God for the future. :)

Luke and Michele said...

Welcome to the blog world. :)

I agree with your blog as well. It amazes me that I think anything I do will turn out 100% perfect. Praise God for His infinte patience and love towards us sinners!
Love ya!
Michele

Anonymous said...

Just as Elijah, I also am reminded of a verse in Phillipians: Phillipians 4:8 "whatsoever things are true".

While reading one of Elizabeth George's books, she talked about this very subject and used Phillipians 4:8 to say that we shouldn't dwell on the "What if's". I had never really thought about the meaning of the phrase "whatsoever things are true", in this context.

PTL for lessons in little phrases! Now when I catch myself playing the "what if" game, the Lord reminds me of Phillipians 4:8.
Keep Blogging,
Ivory

Lydia said...

Wow! That's a good word! Thanks for sharing! I like the verse that Elijah put about pressing on toward the goal. Sometimes we must just let go and forget about what happened in the past and keep pressing on! Many times it's hard to forget about mistakes. I'm so glad that -- as we confess them -- God calls us to forget and keep going forward.

Miriam said...

Thanks for the reminders of the verses in Philippians! Forgetting and pressing ahead are certainly good things to do. Also I had never thought of Phil 4:8 in those terms before. It does put a whole new light on thoes verses. The what-if's of life certainly aren't true (as they didn't happen!).

Miriam said...

Thanks for welcoming me to the blog realm, Michele, and for your encouragement, Lydia. I agree that it's amazing we think so much of ourselves that we think what we do is perfect. I tend to expect more perfection from myself and give other people grace. But God gives all of us grace in every area.