2012 verse

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jeremiah 32:40)

So this is not one of my 3 original verses. I had it all narrowed down to "Nothing is impossible with God." (very much true and I also hope very much a theme in my life this year.

Then, after a very intense discussion with my mom about how I am not trusting that what God does in my life is good (I didn't completely agree with everything she said, but it is the truth that what God is doing in our lives is good or can be used for good) and after reading this article an The Blazing Center yesterday, I knew that Jeremiah 32:40 had to be my verse for the year.

See, sometimes I doubt God, sometimes we all do....but if I am honest, what I doubt isn't that God can do good things in our lives, I doubt that he DOES good things or IS CURRENTLY DOING good things in our lives.  I told that story yesterday of my friend who was told she would lose the baby.  I think if I am honest, I knew God could save the baby (as He did), but I doubted He would.

As a good little reformed girl, I know God is sovereign, but I want to also know He is good.  I trust God is in control, I just often doubt that He is yielding that control for good.   It's hard to see goodness sometimes...on top of my own pains, I know others who have been through divorces, who have lost children, who have been raped, who have spent years waiting for a husband or children or both, who have been unemployed, who have lost parents. How do I believe that's good?

I don't believe evil is good, that individual actions are good, but my goal this year is to learn to believe that despite that God is good.  Because how horrible is it to have faith in a God that is sovereign but not good?  If God is good, he allows hard times in a way that can one day be redeemed for blessing and good.

Also, how wonderful would it be to face those times or pray for others facing those times knowing God is good, that none of this pain will be wasted in our/their lives.

Just a thought. I like my 2012 verse. Everything I am going through today -- from the many many blessings to the trials is God doing good to me. How refreshing. How true.

I think I shared this quote before but I will share it again because I think it goes perfectly with my new life verse:

God will not turn away from doing you good. He will keep on doing good. He doesn't do good to His children sometimes and bad to them other times. He keeps on doing good and He never will stop doing good for ten thousand ages of ages. When things are going bad that does not mean God has stopped doing good. It means He is shifting things around to get them in place for more good, if you will go on loving Him. - JOHN PIPER