If we have God, we have everything we could ever want or need. Are you still struggling with that truth? We may be quick to add an “Amen, Sister!” as I make that statement, but do we really mean it? I admit that, too often, I still wonder about it…yet there have been, and by God’s Grace continue to be, so many times that I do get that truth! Nothing seems fulfilling apart from God. Dr Tozer speaks about this here: “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness.” (p19) See the difference? It is not that God is saying our desire for worldly things is evil. The problem is when we think we cannot be happy apart from them. And this is true about everything in this life, from possessions to relationships. If we feel that we just cannot be satisfied apart from them, we are missing the whole point to life. I remind us that this point is having a growing relationship with God, our Creator.
I will give you a very hard example of what I am talking about. This December marks the 16th year since my Baby Girl went to be with the Lord. And while my heart continually breaks because I love her, I can still have a fulfilling life here until I am reunited with her when my time here is done. And the only reason this is so is because of God and this growing relationship with Him. It is because He holds on to my aching heart. It is because He continues to comfort me. And it is because He is the Source of my love, peace, joy, righteousness, contentment and so on and so on. Because of God, I can live, and live abundantly, in spite of my loss.
Do I miss her? Every day! Yet, because God is first in my life and because He will never leave nor forsake me, my daughter’s physical presence is not necessary for me to live a full life. Would I love to have her here with me? Well, this is a hard question to answer because it depends on whose perspective you mean. For my sake, yes. I would love to watch her grow up into a woman of God. But for her sake, no. She is already in Paradise. How dare I call her down into his fallen, corrupt and broken world again, when she is above and beyond all that. See?
My point is when we understand God is our All in all, then whatever this world throws at us, it will not steal, kill and destroy us. (see Jn 10:10) Will we sense loss? Yes. But it will not steal our peace. Will it hurt? Yes. But it will not kill our joy. Will it leave us scarred? Yes. But it will not destroy our witness. Quite the opposite actually. When we have gone through traumatic events, but are still holding on to God and following hard after Him, this only serves to give more power to our personal story of Salvation. It is evidence that because we have God, we have everything we could ever want or need.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
October: Reformation of Our Hearts: “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine” by Max Lucado
November: So Thankful To Be Chosen: “The Chosen 40 Days with Jesus Book One, Book Two & Book Three” by Amanda Jenkins, Kristen Hendricks and Dallas Jenkins
December: Emmanuel: “The Pursuit of God- The Human Thirst for the Divine” by AW Tozer
<>< Peace, Diane
