God is Good All the Time

There is a saying by church folk that goes, "God is good all the time. All the time, God is GOOD!" Never before have I had that point proven in such a profound way as of today.

Earlier today, I was going through a situation that was tough and I did not know what to do. But what did God do? Through my calendar notes a few hours later, He reminded me that I scheduled a devotional post for today. The devotional is written by a writer named Mary Hamilton and we scheduled it to be posted on my blog today (Dec. 29).

Wouldn't you know, after arranging this post and reading the devotional by Mary, God spoke to me through the words He inspired Mary to write? And by that I mean, Mary's words in this devotional resonated with me in a profound way especially the point about feeling close to God on sunny days and then something happens that makes you feel like you've been left in the dark on your own because that's what happened to me literally a few hours earlier today. But I emerged (from reading this) encouraged along my life journey.

So thank you Mary Hamilton for allowing God to use you through your written words to encourage my heart and remind me of this simple truth, God is good, ALL the time; ALL the time, GOD is GOOD! :) May you be encouraged by Mary's words too.

~*~

God is Good All the Time

A devotional written by Mary Hamilton

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and his loving kindness to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” ~Deuteronomy 7:9

Why is it so hard to remember and experience God’s love in the midst of trouble?

So many times, I’ve been walking strong in my faith, enjoying close fellowship with the Lord. Convinced of His love for me, I revel in His presence surrounding me as I go through my day. Then, something happens—illness, a broken relationship, failed plans. Whatever it is, the enchanted spell shatters and I’m plunged into a dark abyss where I have trouble remembering all the aspects of faith I was so sure of only a few days before. I search for an awareness of God’s love and presence, but my circumstances make it seem like He’s left the building.

How do we hold onto that certainty of God’s love when darkness threatens to overwhelm us? We remind ourselves of God’s character.

What is character? It is the distinctive qualities that make up someone’s personality. It’s their reputation. My husband is known as an encourager, because he so often speaks words of encouragement to those around him. That’s his character. Someone who is not well acquainted with him might expect him to speak words of condemnation now and then, but anyone who knows him well has learned to expect only positive and encouraging speech. At times, he may choose to remain silent or there may be a conflict between him and another person, but that doesn’t change the way people expect my husband to act. They know his character, and are confident of his ways.

John tells us God’s character is love (1 John 4:8). James reminds us His character never changes (James 1:17). In Deuteronomy, Moses declares God is faithful and keeps his covenant of love even to a thousand generations. Our perception may change, but God’s character remains the same. Knowing Him well brings confidence that even when He is silent, He is near and His love for us has not changed.

If we want that assurance, we must study God’s character as revealed in His word and through His Son. We must know Him well enough to trust Him when our emotions and circumstances tempt us to think He is anything other than loving, faithful, and always present in our troubles.

~*~
Author bio:

Mary L. Hamilton grew up at a youth camp in southern Wisconsin, much like the setting for her Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series. Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil are aimed at ages 10 and up. Each book features authentic male characters who come to summer camp with their own “baggage” from home. But they leave with a new perspective and a deeper understanding of their relationship to God.

When she’s not writing, Mary enjoys knitting, reading and being outdoors. She and her husband make their home in Texas with a rescued Golden Retriever.


Connect with Mary:

Website/blog: http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maryhamiltonbooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mhamiltonbooks

Twitter:@mhamilton122

Buy Mary's books: 
Hear No Evil http://tinyurl.com/kl5bovo

Speak No Evil http://tinyurl.com/oaleqya