What is your history with God?

It's been awhile...not sure why....maybe just nothing interesting to say or maybe just too caught up in my world to stop and write, whatever the reason I am sorry.

My mind has been returning today off and on to my history with God.  It started with reading about David and Sauls discussion before he went on to fight Goliath.  He stood on his experience with God, you know how the story goes...

"Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.  And David said, The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

David had a track record with the Lord.  He didn't believe it was in his own strength, he knew his God.  We have all heard the story dozens of time but do we remember to apply it?  Do we personally keep track of all that the Lord has done for us, creating a monument in our minds to God's goodness and faithfulness.  Thinking on the good things, not the disappointments but all the appointments, not the heartache but on the one who comforts in the midst of the pain, not on the silence but on all the times He spoke, we all have this choice:
Build a monument to a good God or dig a pit of self pity.  

Its not always easy but it is so difficult to dig out of the pit that I am intentionally trying to build the monuments!  I am not perfect, don't get me wrong I am as inclined to a pity party as much as anyone but it never makes me feel better it actually starts me on a downward spiral.  Hence, I try to focus on my history with God...the victories He has given me.

It was awful that a bear and a lion took from Davids flock, I am sure he hated it.  No one likes facing the awful stuff in life but it does prepare us for the future.  David took initiative, leaned into God's character and fought for what was his.  What are you fighting for today?  

Catch and celebrate all the good things, you won a race give God the credit.  You get a new job, give God the credit.  He is in all the things that go right and not to blame for all the things that go wrong.  

Hard things happen in a broken and fallen world.  We are all sifted at times, not a fun thing.  Sifted means to be beaten and pummeled until the bad blows away in the wind and the good remains to be used. Yay, we all celebrate those times....NOT.  However, if we truly love the Lord we can see past the circumstances to the blessing.  The blessing in unanswered prayers, closed doors and broken hearts that come after the sifting:  The blessing of new open doors, healed hearts and strengthened character.  

I celebrate what has been accomplished in my life through the love of Christ.  Who could have believed I would get to live such an amazing life, be loved by such lovely people and travel the world.  Not to mention all the hard things that have taught me and shaped me into the person that I am today.  It has been a brutiful life, both beautiful and brutal but every experience has made me closer to the best me I can be through Jesus Christ.  

So this week when my beautiful boy would have been 29 I look at the track record, the monuments of the goodness of God in my life.  The sweetness of salvation, the holiness of brokeness, the joy of experiencing God and the fullness of a wonderful circle of family and friends and I choose to focus on all the good things that I have in my life.  I will still shed tears but I won't get lost in the flood of pain, I will fight hard to remember all the sweet things about my first born and I will rejoice in the fact that I have treasure in heaven.  I will give God the praise for getting me through to victory in every battle.  

In the end it is always about perspective....will I focus on all the good or on the few bad? I choose good, for at least 12 years every time I was in the pulpit I would say, God is good....and He still is and always will be.  

We each have history with God, look for all the good in yor history with God.... it is there in abundance.  Ask the Lord to show you if you are struggling,  because behind the curtain He is always working for our good.

Love my tribe!