Jeremiah 29:13, New Living Translation

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

I recently started a new Bible study. One of the questions in our book asked if we thought God was good. Naturally, we would say yes because we have read the Bible and about His goodness. The next question really got the cogs turning in my head. Do you believe that God is good to you? 

I want us to truly consider this question and be honest. This could begin a journey…a journey of breakthrough to the true knowledge of who our God is and what He says about us. This is something I am also looking at. When I reflect on my life and the people who were close to me, how they loved is quite possible how I perceive God's love. 

We have heard that the people who are closest to us hurt us the most. This is true. The study I am going through also mentions our emotions being a gauge for how we really feel about something. Maybe we should take time to examine what and who has caused us pain. If we identify the issue and get to the root, we can figure out the why. Was God really responsible for those things that hurt us? 

The answer is no. God gives us free will to make our choices. That is for every human being on this planet, whether we are saved or not. Unfortunately, we have to leave with the consequences of each other’s actions whether it was intentional or accidental. This is where I would encourage you to forgive the individual. Your unforgiveness will hurt you more than it will hurt the other person and could cost you your salvation. Jesus tells us, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15, NLT)

Note that we understand that we need to forgive others, let us get back to what we truly believe about God. Our feelings are indicators that we don’t trust God. Think about it…when Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take y yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT) Do you believe Him? Do you believe He will give you rest? Do you believe He is humble and gentle at heart? Do you believe that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light?

It’s important to recognize what your emotions are telling you. You do not want your emotions to rule you, however they can help guide you through the present circumstances you may be facing. When you are feeling and emotions start to get the best of you, stop and ask God, “What do I not believe about you right now?” Explore this with Him. It is better to address these things as they happen than to stuff them down and let them fester. Stuffing your emotions/feelings could hurt us emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even come out in our physical health. Jesus tells us, “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is.” (Matthew 6:22-23, NLT). Our enemy, the devil, would love to blind us in darkness. Don’t let him! It may be hard and sometimes it might be scary, but don’t bury it and let it fester! Expose it! Put it in the light. Or Father is light. He wants these things revealed so He can share truth and heal! 

Though Jesus was addressing Jerusalem when He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.” (Matthew 23:37, NLT). We can take this same message to heart. If we switch what the Lord has put in us, then how can we receive His protection if we are relying on self to take care of self?

When I write this, know that it’s from a place of love. This message is just as much for me as it is for all of us. We are going through this journey together, so we are not alone. We have to know our Father to receive His love to the full and in turn be able to love each other well. I encourage us to seek the heart of God. Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) says, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” I pray that you find Him and that you experience His love in such a way that you can truly experience the joy He brings and the love He gives! We will be one with Him as Christ is one with our Father and our Father in Him.