Well, January has come to an end. What a month it was and yet I can say God is good. January surely wasn’t a walk in the park but the slower pace of winter makes it perfect for beginning the habit of being aware of God’s goodness and love. Seasonally, winter is a time for rest, reflection, hibernation of sorts and just a general slower pace. I have been doing a lot of that!
How did your month go and your journey, if you’re joining me?
I found God’s goodness and love almost every day. And it wasn’t just good things. I had the absolute hands down worst day that I’ve had in a really long time this month. As I reflected on that day later in the evening, He reminded me that everyday used to be that bad- fits and tempers with Big Bro that just morphed throughout the day. But in that day, He showed me how far we had come and how He has been working and changing out reality. That stunned me. God loves me enough to show me a progress report so to speak when I was discouraged. That was my favorite way God showed me His goodness this month.
There was a article on ActiveChristianity.com about how we can experience the goodness of God. And the author brought up the point that we experience God as a reflection of ourselves.
“A person’s perception of God – the way you experience God – can be said to be a reflection of yourself. “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.” Psalm 18:25-26. If you are obstinate and stingy, with little to give your fellow man, you will experience God as obstinate.” Øyvind Johnsen
That really made me think and has been on my mind all month. If my experience of God is dependent on my character then that makes me motivated to grow in Him and draw close to Him. That even softens the sting and pain of the trials and difficult times. It almost makes the trials welcome knowing you are going to grow more in Christ and experience God in amazing ways.
A few years ago a friend of mine went through a difficult and very painful situation. It took months if not years to heal and for life to return to a normal. But after the worst was over she told me the closeness she experienced with the Lord during that time was unlike anything she had ever experienced. I’ll never forget her telling me that it was almost worth it to experience God that way. Life’s circumstances can be trials to us but they can also be what we need to experience God in a real, concrete life-changing way.
In the month of February I’m planning on studying and unpacking more about Gods goodness with some Psalms written by King David. If you haven’t already signed up for The Goodness and Love of God Challenge, sign up here for your February printable and join in the challenge to identify God’s goodness and love in each day of the month.
I’d love to have you share the journey with me! Leave me a comment about your favorite way God showed you His goodness in January in the comments below.
