I can only be nice to one person a day…and today isn’t your day. Tomorrow doesn’t look good either

This thought that I have seen on a T-shirt came to my mind during a conversation with some friends at work. Some people have this view of God. It’s like His power is somehow either limited or He chooses not to be good to His children on certain days. While I understand that every prayer or wish does not get answered the way we choose, I also wholeheartedly believe that God’s power is inexhaustible and He always does what is good. We may not always see what He does as good, but God cannot do anything but good. Everything He does is out of love for His children. There are some things we must remember when discerning God’s goodness.

1. Never misappropriate an act of Satan as an act of God not being good. Never assume when something bad happens that it is our Father’s lack of interest in our lives. John 10.10 says, “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you might have life to the fullest.” Satan is evil and only has one purpose…to drag you down with him. There is nothing good within him.

2. Never attribute something that is happening in our lives that is a result of harvest as God’s punishment for doing wrong. A friend of mine used to say that when he was young he wanted to sow his wild oats and then pray for a crop failure. Honestly, it seldom works like that. Many times we go through the fire because we ourselves are the ones who turned the gas burner up. Don’t we reap what we sow?

3. Realize that correction and discipline are NOT punishment. There is a fundamental difference within these. Correction is just that…correcting a course to alter the final destination. Airlines do it all the time. They make course corrections throughout a flight because sometimes a jet can slide off the projected path. One dictionary said that correction was a punishment with a hopeful end, like rehabilitation. Discipline comes from the same word as disciple. It is teaching someone the best way to act or function. A disciple learns the ways of his master. He knows his teacher’s responses. He conforms his will to that of another. Punishment is retribution for a wrong….nothing changes. It’s a penalty for breaking a rule. There is no expected change. Think of it this way, if you get caught for speeding you get a fine (punishment). While you may slow down for a while, eventually you will fall back into the pattern of breaking the law. That is because paying the penalty invokes no change of heart. Behavior modification does not work. God doesn’t do behavior modification. He does a work within the heart to correct and disciple. God will punish the wicked but those whom He loves, He chastises (disciplines and corrects with an expected change for the better).

I remember growing up and getting many corrections…many of which were where I sit. I’m sure I deserved most of them. No one likes it when they are on the receiving end, but it wasn’t until I became more mature that I realized that I received most of them from a loving parent who was trying to steer me in the right direction. Sure it hurt but I believe I am better today. When I was young I would not do something because I didn’t want the correction. When I was older, it was because I didn’t want to hurt my father. What a change in perspective!

So friend, know that God Is Good. Even in His correction and discipline, He still loves you and wants the best for your life. The cool thing is that today can be my day and your day to receive something good from our Father.

live long and prosper…..