God is good all the time. This declaration is one that I know to be true all the time. Now whether that feels true all the time is another story. Feelings are fickle things, that when held in the proper place serve me well. Yet when those emotions are not kept in check, when they are permitted to run wild and take my thoughts all over the place, disaster strikes and I begin to forget that God is good all the time. Still, this truth remains, Abba Father is good, all the time, irrespective of what the circumstances say.
I am so thankful and grateful to my Abba for the job that He provided me that allows me to create wonderful (and tasty) things. I love creating, and I love that Abba Father knows me so well, to know what brings me joy and to bless me in such a way. And in the midst of this wonderful receiving, I ask myself the question: how is it that we can experience His goodness in one moment, and then in the next moment question that goodness because of a fear? When did fear become more powerful than love?
I find the answer to my question in His Word, Jesus made flesh and then written down for us to have, cherish and nourish ourselves with. “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8
The words ‘putting on’ actually translate as ‘to sink into’ (this puts me in mind of song lyrics, ‘if love is an ocean we’re all sinking’); the word for faith here in the greek is ‘pistis’, a feminine noun that means ‘conviction of truth’ coming from a root word which means to be persuaded. The word hope here means ‘to anticipate with pleasure’. The word salvation in this context is derived from the root word ‘sozo’, which means ‘to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, to heal, to restore to health’. The word ‘day’ in greek derives from a root which implies being firm, immovable and steadfast and the word ‘belong’ here stems from a verb which means ‘to be’. Breastplate in this verse translates as the actual breastplate, consisting of two parts that protected the body on both sides from neck to middle. Helmet also literally translates as ‘about the head’, but metaphorically was used to reference protection of the soul.
So here’s how I read my answer from the Word “But since I am firm, immovable, and steadfast, let me be self-controlled, sinking into conviction of truth, wearing love as protection, anticipating with pleasure my deliverance, my being kept safe and sound, my restoration which protects my soul.”
Fear can never be more powerful than Love. Period. And if you sometimes struggle as I do with how circumstance can ‘feel’, just remember that Love is a person, Jesus. And we are given an amazing description of Love in 1 Corinthians 13. Permit me this substitution of His name in these verses.
“Jesus is patient and kind; Jesus does not envy or boast. He is not arrogant or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jesus never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away, as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned liked a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope and Jesus abide, these three; but the greatest of these is Jesus.”
So if you are struggling with being subject or ruled by your feelings, take some time to go to your Abba Father who loves you and repent (which means to change the way you think). Ask Jesus to help you change the way you think about how much weight you give your emotions verses what you know to be true about your Heavenly Daddy. Let the Holy Spirit cover you with His wrap-around glory and bring your emotions, thoughts and feelings under His authority.
I tend to beat up on myself more so than I should; I have plenty of grace for others, but am stingy when it comes to myself. So have some grace for yourself today. When you make a mistake (because these are part of life), remember that that mistake has already been paid for, by the highest price. Love covers a multitude of sins. Jesus covers you today, no matter what it feels like. Love is a person, and while He won’t force you to live in His kingdom, life is so much better when we do.
Keep Your Wonder 