I Know for Sure... God is Trustworthy!

I have learned and know for sure that I SHOULD always trust God! The key word there is, "SHOULD!" I am still practicing the application of what I know for sure.

I know for sure... He knows exactly what He IS doing, and He knows exactly what He is NOT doing.

I know for sure... He knows exactly how much I CAN handle with His help, and exactly how much I CANNOT handle without His help.

I know for sure... Eveything He does and does not do in the lives of His children is based upon 100% Divine WISDOM and upon 100% Divine LOVE.

Friends, as His children, I know for sure we have NOTHING to worry about, and EVERYTHING to hope for... His perfection is to our benefit!

By God's Grace, We Can Be As Close To God As We REALLY Want To Be!

If you are anything like me, you too have experienced times of being closer to God than at other times. No doubt, God has been gracious to reach out to us and to draw near to us so many times in our life's journey with Him.

There are, however, times when God does NOT draw near to us, just so that we can have the opportunity for our own heart to show itself, both to Him and to ourselves.

If you have been feeling a distance between you and God, I can assure you of two things:

1. God didn't move away from you... you moved away from Him.
2. God WILL draw close to you... if YOU will initiate drawing close to Him!

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

~ James 4:8 ~

The verses surrounding this promise provide insight to HOW we are to draw near to God. One thing I have learned is this: I will not be successful in drawing near to God IF I am unwilling to undergo the transformation He intends for me. Thankfully, my (our) part in drawing close to God is to humble ourselves (a HUGE undertaking, for sure!), thus allowing Him the opportunity to do what needs to be done in us.

I have had a lifetime of walking with the Lord, sometimes closer than others, but let me assure you of one other thing: I may not have enjoyed His discipline in my life, BUT I absolutely LOVED the outcome in my life. The outcome wasn't just a transformation of "little Davey," but the outcome I have loved the most is the fact that I can walk closer with Him today, and enjoy His Presence and Fellowship, having undergone so much of His loving, wise discipline.

He still disciplines me, but I have actually grown to appreciate His discipline because I have become so convinced of His love and His purpose for discipline. When I SEEK and ACCEPT His discipline, I find that my journey takes me in ONE direction, and ONE direction only: and that is CLOSER to Him!

"Thank You, Lord for Your faithful discipline in my life. Please NEVER withhold Your discipline from Me, UNLESS You do so out of Wisdom and Mercy, and unless the same TRANSFORMATIONAL outcome can be achieved in my life. I must not only be FORGIVEN, but I must be TRANSFORMED! And, I want to draw ever closer to You!"