Realizing God's Goodness

We all have probably said "thank God" or "God is good" many times in our lives. But do our choices and way of living truly reflect the fact that we believe God is good? Realizing God's goodness is the start of an amazing journey to see God real in our lives.

I grew up as a Christian so I've been taught that God is good and have also seen him do good things in my life.

But even though I've witnessed God's miraculous hand upon my life, I still had moments of doubt and fear in what God was asking me to do.

For a while, God had put in my heart to let go of a relationship. I've seen God's faithfulness and goodness in previous things he's asked me to let go, but my desire for this relationship blinded me from seeing God's way as good.

I pressed on to my own will and decided that God's way wasn't good enough.

I soon found myself in the wrong.

This relationship had pulled me away from God rather than bring me closer to him. I finally had the courage to believe that God was good and will always for my good, so I obeyed and let go of the relationship.

I can testify today that ever since walking 100% into God's will, I have never seen him move more in my life than ever before.

He became more real. He opened more doors for my ministry. And He is moving more in my life.

Realizing God's goodness positions us to walk in obedience to enter into our destiny. 

Psalm 18:30 reminds us, "As for God, his way is perfect.."

I can't help but wonder the many times we have missed out on Gods blessing by refusing to obey him because we refused to believe that his way is perfect. It's time we realize that God is good and he only asks us to do what is the best for us. God's way may not feel like the best way, but his way is always the best.  

Simon Peter's first encounter with Jesus is a perfect example to remind us not to rely on our feelings but to trust in what Jesus is calling us to do. In Luke 5 we see Jesus asking Simon Peter to set sail to deep waters to fish again. Simon Peter had just spent the whole night trying to catch fish but caught nothing.

His response to Jesus was, "Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5).

Simon was exhausted, and the way he responded certainly showed that he did not feel Jesus's idea was a good idea.

But despite the doubts and hesitant feelings, Simon Peter did it anyway.

What was the outcome of Simon's Peter obedience? Overwhelming blessing.

They caught so much fish that the net began to break (Luke 5:6). Luke 5:8-9 says, "When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus... For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught.."

Simon Peter came to the realization of God's goodness.

If he had followed his feelings and not listened to Jesus, he would never have been in the position he was in - at the feet of Jesus in complete awe of his power.

Maybe you're like Simon Peter, who thought Jesus's idea was not a good idea. But just because God's way doesn't feel good doesn't mean it's not good. Believe that God is always for your good.

God wants to overwhelm you with his goodness and blessing, but it starts with your obedience.

Will you respond to Jesus like Simon Peter, and say, "because you say so, I will do it"?

If you haven't seen the hand of God move in your life yet, now is your chance to see God's goodness pour out in your life. And if you have seen God move in your life, believe that you will see him do it again.

Will you follow what Jesus is asking you to do, despite the feelings and doubts? Will you come to the realization of this simple truth that God is always for your good? 

You don't have to be afraid of what is to come. As long as you are walking with God and allow him to go before you, his goodness will always follow your life. Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.."

There is nothing better than living in the will of God. So remember, realize God's goodness. 

Prayer: Lord, I have come to the realization that you are always for my good. 

Don't Limit Your Potential

We all have dreams and passions that we desire to see come to life, but what's stopping us from pursuing them now? Many times we wait until we think we're ready, but what if we were ready all along? Don't limit your potential.

I had the opportunity to serve at a conference this weekend with many students and working adults from Florida. I was amazed at the passions and gifts that God had placed in everyone's hearts. There were many who wanted to pursue music and songwriting, but when I asked if they had tried making their own music, the answer was no.

I asked why, and the number one response I received was, "I don't feel ready or I still have a lot to learn."

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about learning, but the best way to learn and grow is by doing.

Many people asked me in the conference how I started Living Revelations.

My response shocked them.

"I actually hated writing back in High School and never considered myself a writer. But during college, God called me to step out in faith and to share his word through writing."

I never majored in writing nor did I have any professional experience in writing. But I trusted that God's grace was enough to get me through. I believed if God had called me to writing, he would equip me for it.

God's grace is enough to get you where you need to be. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.." You don't have to wait until you're good enough because God is already good enough. 

Many times we wait until we think we're ready to do what God has put in our heart to do. But if we wait until we think we're ready, we will never feel ready. The key is to follow what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. If God has put in your heart to make music, then start making music. If God has put in your heart to write, then start writing. God will equip you for success.

Sure you won't be perfect the first time, but as you walk faithfully with God, he will help you grow. Trust that God will mold you into who he wants you to be.

I would never have started Living Revelations if I had first looked back to see if I had the "credentials" to be a writer. I took the step of faith trusting that God would equip me for my calling. As I look back at my work with Living Revelations, I can see growth in my writing and graphic designing. This growth could only have happened because I didn't limit myself to what I knew I could do.

Despite my imperfections and insecurities, I trusted that God was enough.

Whatever insecurities you may be facing today, know that God is greater than it all. His power is made perfect in your weaknesses. Don't let your shortcomings limit the potential you have in God's kingdom. God put those dreams and desires in your heart for a purpose.

It isn't a coincidence that you happen to desire the very things that are hidden in your heart. God has given each of us gifts to touch lives for his glory. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

The gifts that we each have from God were meant to bless and serve others. To be a steward of the gifts that God has given us means to use those gifts when needed for others. If God has opened the door for you to use your gifts, use it now. Don't wait until you finish school or make an excuse for not pursuing your God-given dreams. Take the step of faith and trust that God will help you to do what he is calling you to do.

Will you step out in faith and pursue the passions that God has placed in your heart? Will you believe that your dreams were put in your heart for a purpose?

Don't let your lack of experience stop you from pursuing your purpose today. It's outside your comfort zone where you will find God's amazing plan for your life. Your past experience doesn't define your potential - God defines your potential.

When we open ourselves up to following where the Holy Spirit leads us, we will find our potential to be limitless. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippines 4:13). So remember, don't limit your potential.

Life Without Unnecessary Worry

We all have worries in life that seem hard to escape from. But what if we could live life without having to worry about what the future or how we will get there? The good news is there is a way to live life without unnecessary worry.

Do you have moments when you dream of your future? Huge dreams just hidden in your heart that you would love to see come to pass?

I sure do.

I have goals that I want to see happen in my ministry and many other desires that I would love to have in my life.

But the more I focused on my future and the things that had to get done, the more I started to worry.

I started asking God, "How will I get there? Are you sure I'll be ok? How can I speed this process up?"

The more I thought about my future, the more I wanted to get there faster and the more I started to take things into my own hands which only led me to worry.

It was during my quiet time with God that he showed me the cause of my worries: I was fixing my eyes on my future and not on Jesus. 

We invite worry into our lives when we lose our focus on Jesus. 

Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Rest comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus and not in our tomorrows. God will reveal to us his provision and destination for our lives, but we are not to focus on the destination but on the God who will take us to our destination.

God only asks us to focus on following him and to trust that he will lead us the way to our destiny.

The life of Joshua in the Bible is a great example of one who followed God and received God's promised victory in his life. God said to Joshua "...get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses" (Joshua 1:2-3).

Joshua didn't worry about how he would obtain the victories and blessings that God had promised him because he knew he was with a God who would lead him those very victories.

Just as God promised to lead Joshua to his promised land, God also promises he will lead us into our promised land.

The secret formula for achieving our God-given dreams is to simply obey God in everything. Deuteronomy 30:16 says, "For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess."

We don't have to worry about how we will reach our destiny because it is God who will lead us to our destiny. It's when we try to get to our destiny in our own strength that fears and worries start to overwhelm us. We must realize that all our worries are unnecessary.

God has already promised each of us that he has great plans to bless us, so why are we worrying that he won't follow through? God has always been faithful to fulfill his good promises to those who obey him so we can be sure that God will also be faithful to us as we obey him.

We may not have arrived to our promise land yet, but we are entering to possess it. Our waiting season is the time for us to get ready to receive God's promises. God knows the steps we need to take to reach our destiny.

Will you let go of your way and obey God's way? Will you put your trust in a faithful God and believe that he knows the best for you?

When we focus on following Jesus and allow him to carry our burdens, we will find rest and peace in our journey. We have no reason to worry because through Jesus, we have become children of God and inherit all of his good promises. Galatians 3:29 says, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

God has a special plan for your life and his only agenda is to bless you and take you there. So remember, you can live life without unnecessary worry.

Prayer: Lord, only you know the way to my destiny. Help me to fix my eyes on you.

Are You Too Busy?

Being busy may seem productive, but being too busy can pull us away from doing things that actually matter.  Busyness can be a distraction from us receiving all that God has for us. Are you too busy? 

I love staying busy because it makes me feel productive. But this busy lifestyle soon led me to the category of too busy.

I started saying yes to people before I could say yes to having God time. Whenever my calendar had a day that was empty, I would be quick to fill it up without leaving room for God to interrupt my day.

While being busy is a good thing, it becomes bad when we start to lose our priorities.

I knew I was too busy when I started to "fit" God into my schedule before I slept. I couldn't enjoy my alone time with God because of my busy schedule.

But God reminded me that time alone with him was better than crossing something off my to-do list.

Time with Jesus is better than anything else. 

The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 is a great example of how being busy isn't always a good thing. Martha opened her home to Jesus, but while Jesus was there, Martha was too busy doing preparations instead of spending time listening to Jesus. On the other hand, Mary sat at Jesus's feet listening to what he said (Luke 10:39).

Martha got upset and said to Jesus, "Don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40). Jesus responds with, "...Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42).

How many times have we been like Martha, choosing work, school, or ministry over time with Jesus? We must remember that time with Jesus is better spent than doing anything else.

While Martha was doing good deeds for Jesus, Jesus wanted her to realize that listening to what he had to say was better than doing things for him. 

Martha got distracted.

Are you being distracted as well? What's distracting you from spending time with Jesus? Has the busyness of life pulled you away from what is better? 

Many times we sacrifice God time with social media, school, or even ministry. But God cares about our relationship with him more than anything.

Before we go out and say yes to doing things for Jesus, we must first say yes to spending time with Jesus. Jesus wants to speak life into us, but we must set the time to listen to him.

Luke 11:28 says, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

We need to come to the realization that we need to hear God's word. How can we know what we should do if we don't hear Jesus? If we want to live life to the fullest, we must allow Jesus to speak to us every day. Jesus will give us the wisdom, joy, truth, and guidance that we need to live out God's purpose in our lives.

If we want to live productive lives, we must abide with Jesus. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

If we want to see fruit in our lives and be used mightily by God, we must be connected to him.

Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

When we try to do things for Jesus and without Jesus, our work becomes fruitless. But when we do things for Jesus and with Jesus, everything we do will prosper and bless others. That's how important spending time with Jesus is. 

We should never have an excuse to say we don't have time for God. God should always be our priority. Here are some signs that you're too busy:

• When God time gets moved out of your to-do list.
• When you constantly feel like you're racing against time.
• When you have no time for God to interrupt your day. 

Have you sacrificed your time with God for other things? God has amazing plans for your life but you must take the time listen to what he has to say so that he can prepare you for what is to come. So remember, are you too busy?

Prayer: Lord, help me to leave room every day for time alone with you.