This is what I have learned this summer: God is good to me. Throughout all circumstances, God has been, currently is, and forever will be good. To us. Romans 8:28 was as valid yesterday as it is today and as valid as it will be in the future down the road when life sucks, is going just fine or is going simply fantastic.
Even when we are faithless, God is faithful. And it is especially in these times of God’s faithfulness in our faithlessness that God shows that He is God. He is the one who brought the Israelites through the Red Sea, He is the one who brought Elijah through the drought by ravens and widows. He is the one who brought Paul through the tribulations he faced – which included 39 lashings and being stoned to near-death. He is the one who brought me through my Grandpa’s death while away here in Italy. He is the one who brought me through a time of deep personal doubt and frustration.
Through all of that though, I was blessed to attend the 2018 Refresh Europe/Missions Conference in Millstatt, Austria in August (Which was held in an old castle by the way; how cool is that?!). During that time, there was great teaching, great fellowship and great answers to prayer. Specifically, God answered different prayers I had on my heart during the week. They varied on topic, but God was nonetheless faithful to deliver an answer to each one. God was really good to me because this conference was a totally added bonus, seeing as I didn’t even know about it coming into the internship here in Italy and I wouldn’t have ever imagined I would have the opportunity to go to Austria in my lifetime! During that time, God further confirmed my calling to here in Italy, and He showed me more of the calling which He has placed upon my life (Which was a total added bonus that He decided to throw in for the purposes only He knows). If you want to know more, just message, text or email me, I’d be glad to share with you.
I guess this is a short post, but I just want to encourage those of you who happen to read this. God is still good in spite of our circumstances – divinely or man-made – at all times. I heard this great quote at the conference from one of the teachers: “Do not focus on what God isn’t doing; focus on what God is doing.” We may want something to be happening or to have already happened, but is God still good because that thing hasn’t happened yet? You bet your britches He is. It is most certainly a stinkin’ hard pill to swallow at times and trust me, it may feel like a horse pill going down (horse pills are notoriously large), but in the end, it will help change your perspective, your eternal focus and your heart’s vision for your current circumstances and future. God being good and that He is perfecting that which concerns us at all times in all circumstances needs to be a foundational truth that we base our life upon. If we do not do this, we will be like the man who built his house upon the sand. When life gets tough and it rocks our world – dependent on our foundation – we will either stand resolute in the face of the storm, or we will crumble like a man who thought he knew what he believed in the face of tribulation.
Be encouraged in the Lord. Know that He is fighting for you. Know that He isn’t done with you. Know that He will bring to pass what He has promised. He will be good through all of it – the ups, the downs, the valleys, the mountain peaks – He will be by your side all of the way.