"Test all things; hold fast what is good." ~ 2 Thessalonians 5:21
I drove up the mountain this week to see the town from above and catch a glimpse of my favourite mountain peaks. I didn't have to go too far before the small patches of snow were showing up in the shady spots. But in the sunny spots there were plenty of yellowy buttercups blossoming everywhere reminding me that Spring is near in the mountains too. The rocky peaks in the distance may hold their snow caps all year long. And down below in the valley, the first of the blossoms are appearing in the orchards. I truly love this time of year.
A lot of things have changed for us since this time last year. We've had a lot of questions and seen various doors open and shut on our lives. While we lamented many of those closed doors at the moments they shut, we can look back now on some of them and see God's purpose for them and see how He has pointed us to good things because if it.
It's hard to know what is good for us in those difficult moments some times. Or when things appear good and they really aren't. We are told to test all things, to know if they are of God. 1 John 4 tells us how to test spirits to know if they are of God. And to hold on to those that are good. Philippians 4:8 also tells us to meditate on the good things of God.
I think the more we learn to discern these things the more obvious it will become and the easier it will be to recognize. While we know that Satan is the ultimate deceiver, the more we learn to recognize his evil works the more our eyes and hearts will be opened to the things that are good, therefore helping us see God's plans when we think things may not be going our way.
Myself, I'm still struggling with giving God the driver's seat because I think I know what is good for me. I have much growing to do so I can learn to test things better and then know that my "good ideas" aren't always of God and with some more faith and better discernment I might be able to see Gods plans are working far better than my own for the good things that I should be holding on to instead.
More faith Lord, grant me more faith!
- Posted by Becky using BlogPress from my iPhone
Love your picture!Beautiful! I have been so busy lately. Not much time to blog. Like your post. It is hard to give God the drivers seat sometimes. I am working on a post now that talks about that a little. Hopefully I can get it posted tomorrow night. Busy day tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteEven with God being the ultimate driver, STILL we don't let him drive. He's the best EVERYTHING, the expert, ready and willing and STILL we do things our way, because it's our natural reaction. How HE must shake His head each time we mess up AND THEN come to Him to fix it up?
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely inspiring scenery you have where you live - love it!
ReplyDeleteOur God is certainly the giver of all good things, Amen!
And the best is yet in store for us in Heaven. Of course until that day, we can rest in the fact that we are where God wants us to be, following Him!
Hugs,
Susan