You Don't Get To Pick... Sorry

One of the things I think is so sad about this world is the people who complain all the time. You know who I'm talking about, nothing is ever good enough for them and it honestly makes your day a lot worse just being around them. The one thing I want to tell them is "what do you want me to do about it?". I can't change anything that you've been through nor can make any situation you're currently in go away. No one wants to be sad, upset, overwhelmed, or just completely burnt out on life, but these are the opportunities where we get to turn to the Lord and ask Him to show us the goodness that we might not see that often on earth. I know right now you can probably think of a thousand things that don't seem good right now: family issues, financial issues, mental health issues, future plan issues, and so on and so forth. I just want to give you a little bit of encouragement. God is not a far off God and He doesn't want to see you sad or upset. He wants to show you His goodness here on earth and He does just that each and every day, it might just be hard for us to see it. 

In Psalms 27:13 it says "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living". Pastor Loran spoke on this today and some of his words hit me so deeply because when you get down in life you don't have to look far to see the goodness and faithfulness of God. Don't doubt that it's there because you wouldn't be breathing right now if he didn't want you here and that right there is a testament to His goodness. Yes the family problems will still be there and yes the future might be creeping up really quickly but I'm sorry... you don't get to pick what happens to you in this life. If you did I'm sure that earth would be a portrait of happiness because no one would ever pick the bad things that come with this life. That being said, these bad things don't last forever nor should they ever make you doubt your faith in God. It took Sarah 99 years to have a baby, Joseph 25 years to come back to his family, and 2,000 years for this world to be saved by the most beautiful savior. During these period of waiting you know what these people did, they stayed steadfast to God and praised Him even in the storms during their lives. 

I can promise you that God has not forgotten about you. He is with you during the hard times. These "seasons" that you're in of hardship, goodness that will come out of it at the end. I can guarantee you that because it says it right in His world! All you have to is sit and wait. Ride out the rough road by praising His name because although it might not seem like He is not faithful or good, I can promise He's never failed me and He surely won't fail you either. No, you don't get to pick, but what good would that do you anyway? These people set in your life are your mission, whether they are your family, friends, classmates, coworkers, whatever, these are the people God has sent you after. Pursue them and don't give up because you may be the only glimpse of the Bible they ever see. 

May the peace and love of God be with you always,

Leah Carpenter