"Don't say to yourselves, 'The Lord has given us this land because we are so righteous!'" (Deut. 9:4). "The Lord your God is not giving you this good land because you are righteous, for you are not--you are a stubborn people" (Deut. 9:6).
It is a mistake to think that we have somehow earned God's blessing--that He is good to us because we are "being good". It is the essence of God's grace to give something that is not deserved. It is unmerited favor. God blesses because He loves--not because we are good enough to deserve it. It is in our nature to assume that prosperity flows out of our obedience to God and that pain must then always be a consequence of disobedience. Biblically, that kind of thinking just doesn't hold up. In the Bible, we find examples of righteous people experiencing great pain and sinners enjoying great prosperity. Surprisingly, both are expressions of God's love. So, today as you journey, bask in the good times as an undeserved and loving gift of God. . . . and as you struggle through the difficulties, know that pain is useful to forever change us for the better. May we humbly accept the gracious gift of God--both the pleasant and the painful.
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