“I have promised to meet all your needs according to my glorious riches. Your deepest most constant need is for my peace. I have planted peace in the garden of your heart where I live but there are weeds growing there too. Pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardener and I am working to rid your heart of these weeds. I do my work in various ways. When you sit quietly with me I shine the light of my presence directly into your heart. In this heavenly light, peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up. I also send trials into your life. When you trust me in the midst of trouble peace flourishes and weeds die away. Thank me for troublesome situations, the peace they can produce far outweighs the trials you endure.” Jesus Calling devotional.
Have you ever thanked God for trouble in your life? I’ve had my share of trouble, not as much as some, but more than others, and I don’t know if I ever actually thanked the Lord for bringing trouble into my life. Until now.
God is good. All the time. He has always met my needs, even when I didn’t deserve it – and I never do. But He is a constant, and He is good.
God is working in me to bring me peace, to cause me to lean on Him and not on the things of this world. During a conversation yesterday with a wonderful godly new friend, she asked me if I pray every day. I used to. Each morning I would pray on the phone, which would put me in an attitude of prayer that I carried into a quiet personal one on one with God. I used to pray every day. But somewhere along the line talking to my Lord and Saviour every day became less of a priority. The weeds began to grow and my focus began to change. Pride, selfishness, worry, and anger took root and instead of turning to the gardener, I watered the weeds. And the trouble came.
But God is good, all the time, and all the time God is good. He knows my hearts desire is Him, and he brought me back and is strengthening my walk and bringing me peace. I know He has a story for my life I know I am part of His perfect story. He has laid out in Scripture what His ultimate plan is and He loves me enough that I can lay in His arms and take in His peace while I grow.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.