Jesus and love

I know that I’ve said this before but it bears repeating. “God’s love for us is not determined by our circumstances.”

“Well, how can that be?” you ask. “If anyone else brings difficulty and pain and suffering into my life it most certainly does reflect on h/her level of love for me.”

Well, that’s not necessarily true. We know without doubt that parents sometimes have to do things that to their child seem very unloving - needles, stitches, consequences etc. That however is not the main point. The main point is that friends do not have the power to bring good out of any and every circumstance in our life.

This is a guarantee for everyone who loves God and who has been called according to His purpose. God will always be present, active and devoted in perfect love to bringing to us what is best for us. He is never unkind, even in His discipline. These things have been called His “severe mercies.” He will never lie to you. He will never fail to keep a promise. His love for us is sure and without change.
In this sense God is unlike any friend that you ever had or ever will have.

Because of that God shapes your circumstances with purpose, power and love. Because of that your life has meaning and context and purpose and that purpose is unbelievably good. I have never experienced life as such an adventure as since I committed my life to Jesus. Part of that is because we don’t need to know the details of tomorrow. We don’t need to have all our ducks in a row for our lives to work out perfectly. In fact, we don’t have to have our lives work out perfectly for our life to turn out perfectly. For God brings good out of what seem on the outside complete horror stories. Because of that we can have utter confidence that all will be well with our soul.

“When peace like a river, attends to my soul
When sorrow like sea billows role
Whatever my lot, You have taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul”

If you don’t know the story to that song you should ask me about it. It is one of the best examples that I know, of how God works in the midst of our difficulties.
Are there storms on the horizon? My Creator and protector already knows the outcome. God is sovereign and His will for me is perfect. Every day of my life for the last 31 years has proven this truth. I can “thank God in all circumstances.”