God Wants The Best

I recently had a dream that has stuck with me.  The details aren't significant, but the theme of the dream is.  It was - "God wants the best for you."  I've been chewing on that for days.

First of all I don't think the "best" refers to the popular health and wealth theology.  God's best for us has to do with our walk with Him, making us more like Him,  and developing our character.  His best for us is always with eternity in mind.

When we were moving to South Africa, we got quite a few words from people that "the best was yet to come."  I was struggling with moving so far away from my grandchildren, so that word meant a lot to me.  I clung to it.

Then I was diagnosed with cancer - and would go through years and years of treatment.  Not too long afterwards, Floyd was suddenly struck ill and would spend 5+ years in the hospital before he passed away - ultimately leaving me as a widow.

I had quite a few conversations with the Lord about all this!!  I hadn't thought of the "best" involving these things.  The Lord patiently spoke into my heart about His love, His care, His provision, His closeness, His lessons, and His guiding me through those difficult years.  Many times I wept as I saw how tenderly the Lord carried me through those times.

I'm still dealing with cancer and grieving the loss of my dear husband, but I'm far enough along to have some perspective.  I'm not a theologian, but I don't believe that God causes hard things to come into our lives.  We live in a fallen world with plenty of things to be difficult - sickness,

loss, financial pressures, relationship conflicts, and many other things.

What God does is step into those things with us.  He doesn't leave us alone.  He uses those hard things to teach us lessons, and draw us closer to Him.  He doesn't "waste our sorrows" as Paul Billheimer wrote about.  He uses each thing to bring the best into our lives from His perspective.  I could make a long list of precious things that came into our lives through those hard years.  No pain was wasted.  No tear fell unnoticed.  No sorrow was left uncared for.  In the midst of the suffering, God was so good and faithful.  I would hate to go through those things again, and yet I wouldn't have wanted to miss all the "best" things that came from those years.

I remind myself of all this when I face new hurdles - especially since I'm walking through them now without Floyd.  I don't like hard things!  But I now have a firm foundation of knowing God has my best at heart.  He is with me and will guide and help me.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:29

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."  Proverbs 3:5,6

"The temptations (I would say trials) are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."  1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  Psalm 20:7

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'  Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday."  Psalm 91:1-6

I could go on and on.  The Bible is filled with verses of God's heart for us and how He will be with us.  God's best for us is better than we think - it just may be different than we think.  He's trustworthy - we can put ourselves into His loving hands.