Lesson learned from my Nine year old Daughter: “God is good!”

I have been teaching, preaching and blogging a lot lately about TODAY! My theme verse is Psalm 118:24 that says "this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" I know that, I believe it; I try my best to live it. However…we all have days where we just wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and our attitude and mood STINKS! That was me this morning. Have you ever had a morning where everything seemed to go wrong? I woke up this morning and felt that there was something wrong with just about everybody and everything. I don't get discouraged very often, but I was extremely discouraged this morning. I told my wife, "I don't think I'm going to blog this morning, in fact, I don't know if I will ever do it again." She asked me, "Why?" And I just said it takes a lot of work and a lot of time, and I'm not sure I am motivated to do it anymore.

Then, I try to get on the internet with my phone, and it is down. I desperately needed to check on some things, and it wasn't happening on my phone, and I am brewing by now. But, I always have my computer, so I turn on my computer, attempt to get online, and…it was down as well. I was so frustrated! I wanted to throw my computer, and to be completely honest with you, my attitude stunk and my family could easily tell. I went into the kitchen to make breakfast, muttering something under my breath. My 11 year old daughter asked me, "Dad, what has gotten you in such a bad mood?" I told her all of the "bad stuff" that had happened to me this morning and she said, "is that all?" I just looked at her, and gave her a "fake smile" and went back to making breakfast. I thought to myself, "is that all, is that all? Oh to be eleven again and not have a care in the world. Is that all?" Then the Holy Spirit began to work on me and He asked me the same question, "Is that all that it took to get you this upset and in such a horrible mood?" At this point, I really didn't want to even talk to God about it. So, I just turned on the TV, watched morning news, and stayed busy…me and my discouraged and funky attitude!

After I finished breakfast, I got in the shower, and slipped and fell in the bathroom because there was water on the floor. I hit my head on the shower door, and as I was getting up I grabbed a towel and it came down on top of me. I was so aggravated I threw it across the room. I got in the shower, and someone had left the shampoo out of the shower. I was furious! (I later found out that someone was ME). I love to use the shower as a time of singing praises to God, and thanking Him for a great night sleep, keeping us all safe, etc. Well, there wasn't much praising going on this morning, because I was stewing over how bad I had it this morning! I got out of the shower dreading going to work. I didn't want to see anyone, talk with anyone, in fact, I didn't even feel like praying. What was going on inside of me? Why was I so discouraged AND frustrated? I didn't know and frankly, I didn't care! I determined that it was going to be a bad day for me!

Well, I was mumbling, griping and complaining about how the kids had left stuff all over the house and hadn't picked it up, when I saw it. The thing that was going to change the direction and destiny of my day…it was on a piece of white paper, and I could tell that it was a note from my nine year old daughter. As I looked at it, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me…in her second grade hand writing, my little girl had written: "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!" We all have had those God appointed moments when the Holy Spirit teaches you a lesson that you will never forget. Well, that was such a moment for me. I began to ponder that…God is good all the time! That included the BAD TIMES, the HAPPY TIMES, the FRUSTRATING TIMES, the times when my ATTITUDE STUNK, and the times that I just feel like quitting. It doesn't change the TRUTH that God is good. Listen to what Lamentations 3 says:

Lamentations 3:20-2 (20) I remember it all--oh, how well I remember-- the feeling of hitting the bottom. (21) But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: (22) GOD's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. (23) They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! (24) I'm sticking with GOD (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.

I desperately needed to read that simple, but profound truth, and I needed it at that exact moment. I had already walked by the note probably fifteen times this morning, but God knew I needed to see it at the appointed time before I exploded. I went in and thanked my daughter for allowing God to use her, and she looked at me so funny. I explained to her about how God used the words that she wrote on a piece of paper to change the direction that my day was headed. I hope that this blog will serve the same for you today…God really is good ALL THE TIME, and ALL THE TIME, God is good. Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

Today’s “Through the Bible in a year” Bible reading: Thursday April 17, 2008: Esther 1:1 - Esther 2:23

This week’s memory verse to “Hide in my heart”: Hebrews 11:1

(KJVR) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.