It’s All Go(o)d.

Redefining “Blessings.”

Here’s PART of my heart Lord…

You ever notice how we shout these quintessential phrases and sing beautiful songs, yet our behavior completely contradicts our worship?

We say things like “Here’s my heart Lord” or “God is good, all the time” while our behavior conveys “here’s a part of my heart, Lord” and “God is good…when it feels good!”

Why do we do that? Doesn’t ALL the time mean exactly that? All the time. Not just when your prayers are answered or when everything is working in your favor.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think the word “all” is conditional. Which would then mean, God is also good when everything has gone “wrong.” When children are being murdered. When countries are waging war. When your depression feels the most unbearable. When your singleness feels like a burden, and insert any other circumstances that gives rise to bitter feelings that you can’t justify or rationalize.

So why do we act like He’s only good some of the time?

Feelings are Real, not Reliable…Indicators, not Dictators.

“Who watched my story? Who liked my post? Who’s attending my event?…Why do you care!?” — Every single one of those thoughts have crossed my mind. This coming from someone who intentionally and predominantly tries to post things that will inspire and encourage. (God, I can’t imagine the thoughts of the individuals posting repetitious selfies!)

It’s a fact. Social Media is changing us. The way we behave, communicate, date and even live our lives. However, blaming social media for our immaturity is exactly that, immature. Social Media isn’t the poison…we are.

I take breaks from it often for a couple of different reasons. 1 — To prove to myself that I can live without it. 2 — To disconnect from the world and intentionally reconnect with God, and 3 — I may have just been face planting into temptation.

In the spirit of keeping it real, this time, it was for bashful #3! But let’s be clear, that’s not the fault of social media, and completely because of a lack in self-discipline.

So how was I face planting into temptation? Well…I’m in this fun season of life where everyone’s engaged, having babies or just frankly entertaining whatever the heck their flesh desires when it comes to interactions with the opposite sex. Now remember, I’m human. I’m a sinner. I war with the flesh, and I have the same twisted desires than anyone else might have. So now, imagine feeling like everyone else is having “fun” while you “painfully” press through the season you feel you’ve been called to.

I can honestly say that I’m genuinely happy for most, but I’ve found myself wanting to indulge my flesh. And folks, in the most “innocent” way possible: Attention.

Yep, that’s right. It’s not even like I’m looking to go slut it up all around Dallas. And I don’t even want the attention of multitudes at that! 200 likes or views don’t matter if the attractive guy didn’t like or watch your story? Can I get an amen? DON’T amen that! LOL. But it’s not so “innocent” when I’m finding value in another’s interest of me.

We often describe, particularly for women, “singleness” as the root of all discontentment. But I’d like to argue that it’s not the root. The argument falls flat on a very simple truth: I don’t believe that what I have today, right now, is God’s best! So…I go looking for what should feel like…well…best!

When my flesh has desires for companionship or attention, it also decides that today is obviously not presenting God’s best for me. It just doesn’t make sense that I can experience these negative feelings of loneliness or strong desires in this moment and that be God’s best.

But could it be that in our negative feelings, we’re being taught to run toward God instead of away? Could it be that in God’s “no” there is sweet mercy?

Redefining Blessings…the gifts of the Present.

If we’re not careful, “God’s best” can become nothing more than our wish list for ourselves. These future hopes may be good and honorable desires, but they also may stem from a self-centered heart wrestling to place our will above God’s.

If the thing we wanted finally arrives, we’ve trained ourselves to wait for something better. And if it never comes, we think we missed out on God’s best.

God’s best is not just a promise for some imagined or perceived future; it’s the reality of today.

What we consider blessings and God’s best are not always going to line up, but that doesn’t mean that what we have in the meantime isn’t a blessing.

If each gift should point us closer to the Ultimate One…than the painful ones are even more valuable.

Even if he doesn’t give us what we want, it’s for our good. Now don’t get me wrong, the thought of not having the thing we hope and pray for can be scary, but no matter what you are hoping and praying for, you haven’t missed out on his perfect Gift for you today.

He has plans for us in every disappointment, and 100% of the time, the process is often as good or better than the outcome. So friend, today, I want to encourage you to trust that whatever’s thrown at you, IS God’s best. That the ended relationship is just as good as when you were asked out and that the overdraft is just as good as the bonus.

God does not give second rate gifts, and today, no matter what you feel, rest assured that the God who knows when it all ends, has intentionally informed your present.

Love,