This morning I’m overwhelmed with God’s goodness. Prayers that have been prayed for months are being answered…and in ways that go beyond all my hopes…God is so good! So generous.

I’m aware that I need to tuck this memory away for that rainy day that will surely come…when things don’t seem to be going my way at all. To remember that God doesn’t ever look away…He doesn’t become distracted and somehow miss something critical. No, He is always at work in our lives, working things together for our good.

I know that most of the time, but it becomes difficult when nothing seems to be going the way I want them too…the way they’re “supposed” to.

Those are the times to look forward…God is doing a new thing! I have clung to these verses since I was a young teenager. It helped me to believe that the dark times wouldn’t always be here…that change was coming:

Isaiah 43:18 – 19, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isn’t that a beautiful promise? And it’s true! When we are tempted to look backwards, expecting things to be the same as they’ve always been, we are discounting the power of God.

Our Father is always at work in our lives, but sometimes the new growth can be painful.

Do you remember what it felt like to have growing pains? I don’t recall mine, but I definitely remember my children having them. I particularly remember my son, Brandon, waking up in the middle of the night with extreme pain in his legs. “Growing pains” have to do with how rapidly the bones are growing. Sometimes I thought I could see a little more height the next morning! Today he’s 6’3”, so no wonder, right?

At the time it must have seemed so confusing for him, and all he knew was that it hurt. Yet I know he didn’t want to remain 5 feet!

I have learned that it’s in the darkest places that I have grown the most. And at the time, all I could focus on was the pain. Yet I clung to God during those seasons, in ways that I hadn’t before…and learned to trust Him more along the way.

How about you? Are you going through a rough time? Does it seem as if it will never end? Don’t lose hope.  God has not forgotten you! He will bring you through this, and use it all together for good. Just cling to Him and put your trust in the fact that He is doing a new thing…and that none of this time will be wasted.

Verses to ponder: Isaiah 43:18-21, Lamentations 3:22-25, Proverbs 3:5-6

Suggested songs:   http://youtu.be/08s3GKRict8  Meredith Andrew’s, “Not for a Moment”,     http://youtu.be/zlA5IDnpGhc  Chris Tomlin, “Our God is Greater”

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