an important question

“The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup..” (Psalm 16:5)
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There is a saying that when one door closes, God opens another. It sounds good but what if He doesn’t? Does He love us any less? Is He less good?

There’s this widespread belief in the Christian culture that compels us to believe that God’s love and goodness towards us is mainly seen through what He does for us (opportunities, open doors, favor, etc), rather than what He has already done for us once and for all (suffered, died and rose from the grave to give us new life in Him) and what this truth means for us daily and how that defines how we see and live our lives.

I would venture to say that most of us seek to glorify God with our lives. At the same time, I would also venture to say that we have our own idea of what giving God the glory with our lives looks like. Perhaps we want to excel in areas that we are gifted in. We want to take opportunities and be all that we believe God has called us to be. However, what if God chose to exalt Himself through you in ways that aren’t necessarily the "victorious story" by man’s perspective? The story that says when it looked like there was no way, God made a way. What if His way wasn’t our way?

As I’ve gone through this surgery procedure, my prayer has been,“God please heal me.” But the more I sat with God and read His Word, I began asking, what if God doesn’t heal me? What if God gives me this discomfort for the rest of my life? What if I hear the things I don’t want to hear from the doctors? Would Christ still be enough? This has been the question ringing loudly in my mind as I’ve been going through this process. And I believe this is one of the most important questions we will have to ask ourselves on a daily basis. The answer matters greatly. 

Living in a world that daily attempts to sell us cheap facades of fulfillment, it lures us into believing that He isn’t enough. Or even more tempting, we buy into the lie that says we can have Him BUT we need more  for real fulfillment.

We know God’s word tells us that all things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28) but have we interpreted that to mean that everything will be comfortable?
Our good is not about our comfort. Our good is about His glory. His glory in our life may mean that no doors we expected to open will open. His glory may mean that a dream set in our heart may never come to pass. His glory isn’t ours to determine. But we can rest assured that His glory is always our good. And if we choose to cling to Him, He helps us see that good through His eyes. 

Is God trying to make sure we only have a hard-suffering life? Of course not. It’s not healthy to fall on that end of the spectrum. What I am saying is that if we find ourselves being fully content in the Lord when things are going well or even so, holding on to God only during the times He “comes through” for us, then we have based our relationship on superficial allegiance. We will never be satisfied by that relationship.

Being a Christian isn’t a life paved with golden opportunities and good feelings. It’s not a life that promises everything we desire in this earthly life will come to pass. I don't want to let you go on thinking that even if it's what you heard in church. It wouldn't be the truth,nor would it be loving.

This life in Christ is a life that is built on a sure foundation, not easily swept away by the fleeting lusts of this world. It's a life filled with unspeakable joy found in the darkest of times which makes the world confused. It's a life covered by God's presence. It's a life strengthened by adversity. It’s a life that knows that this life isn’t the end. There is more to look forward to. Praise God!

Sisters, the hope is that whether we find ourselves on the hill or in the valley, may we choose to say “Christ you are enough for me.” He delights when we find our deepest satisfaction in Him and Him alone.
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The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/meditate/memorize:

Psalm 16
John 6:35
Philippians 4:11
2 Peter 1:3-4
1 Corinthians 8:6

Questions to reflect on:

1. What are some desires you have that have not come to pass? And if they don’t, how will that affect your relationship with God? Be honest.
2. Have you found yourself buying into the belief that Christ isn’t enough? What have you chased because you believe that?
3. Is it hard for you to say that Christ is enough for you? Why? And what are ways to deepen your relationship with Christ so that He becomes your all?