There are many proverbs and sayings about the consequences
of our actions. They range from “What goes around comes around,” to “You reap
what you sow,” to “Sometimes bad things happen to good people.” The interesting
thing is, the saying we agree with often depends entirely on what we are going
through in life. For example, after receiving a promotion at work, or an award
for a job well done, it would be typical to respond with the mindset that you have
earned this and deserve the recognition. On the other hand, finding out that
your mom has cancer, or that you have lost your job often elicits the opposite
response. You may question, “What did I do to deserve this? Why is this
happening to me?”
The question regarding why God lets bad things, even terrible,
earth-shattering things happen to people who are faithful to Him has challenged
me for years. In Psalm 84:11 it states,
“For the Lord God
is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from
those whose walk is blameless.” I came across this verse several months ago, to which I
responded with, “WHAT? I don’t understand. If God does not withhold anything
good from those who are faithful to Him, then why isn’t my life going better?
Why am I facing so much stress? Why do I feel so lonely? Why haven’t I received
the things that I feel I have earned?
It sure seems like He is holding out on me!”
Accepting
that the Bible is wholly true (regardless of whether or not I understand it), I
decided to further examine this verse. Upon examination, I found two issues
with my understanding: 1.) My definition of “good,” and 2.) My degree of “blamelessness,”
or “faithfulness.”
According
to my previous understanding of this verse, a “good thing” was a blessing. To
me, I viewed it as seeing the fruition of my hard work. If I was faithful to
God and worked really hard, I would earn the things I desired. While this can
be true sometimes, this is NOT what the verse means. Rather, a good thing in
this context denotes something that is good FOR us. As the Lord is the one
giving the good, it is HIS definition of “good,” not ours, that is the gift
being given. In other words, what I may see as good or deserved is not
necessarily the same as what God sees as beneficial to me.
Secondly,
I struggled with the concept of blamelessness. Other translations also refer to
this as “faithfulness” or “being upright.” For the most part, I thought I had
done a pretty good job of living according to God’s Word. I had genuinely tried
to live a life that was pleasing to God, and tried to follow the guiding of the
Holy Spirit. However, the words “blameless,” “faithful,” or “upright” have a much
higher degree of sincerity than I had picked up on in my initial reading. To be
faithful isn’t just to try and live a life that honors God. It is to constantly be seeking His direction, and
continuously following His will.
Reading
this verse again with a new understanding of these definitions, my perception
shifted dramatically. Again, it states, “For
the Lord God
is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from
those whose walk is blameless.” This verse doesn’t indicate a perfect life. It doesn’t promise
fulfillment of personal desires, or protection from pain. It doesn’t mean God
is always going to bless us for doing what we believe is right. However, there
is a deeper promise interwoven throughout this verse. The promise is that when
we choose to allow God to guide our lives and follow His will, He will give us what He believes is in our best interest.
Unfortunately, actually understanding God’s definition of what is good for us
is often far beyond human comprehension. Nevertheless, I will gladly put my
faith and efforts into serving a God who knows more than I ever could possibly
know about myself. I will eagerly choose to seek God’s will rather than my own,
because His ways are better. While I may not always understand it, I will
gratefully accept the promise that God will NOT withhold anything that He
defines as good from me.
If
you are struggling to find the goodness in your life, I encourage you to examine
this verse. Maybe you need to reevaluate your intentions. Are your actions
self-seeking, or God-focused? Or perhaps you need to shift your understanding of a “good
thing.” Do you see good things as satisfaction of the pleasures you crave, or the
fulfillment of your best interest? Wherever you’re at, take heart in the fact
that God cares about you deeply. Whether you realize it or not, He wholeheartedly
wants what is best for you. Furthermore, He will bless you and “withhold no
good thing” when you earnestly follow His will.
Until next time,
Tamara
