The Punches of Life

“The goodness of God is challenged everyday with the punches of life” (Havilah Cunnington)

Let’s face it, some days can be hard and we’re left wishing we’d put on boxing gloves to knock back some of the things that have come our way. Some days it can feel we’re living on the wrong side of the crucifixion and not in the light of the Resurrection.

In the absence of answers, of breakthroughs and in the absence of resurrection power it can be a challenge to continue to trust in the goodness of God. And that is right where the enemy wants us. The moment we begin to doubt God’s goodness. The moment we begin to lose trust in God is when we begin to harden our hearts against Him. It’s been the enemy’s strategy since the beginning of time, outplayed first in the Garden of Eden. The enemy wants us to believe that God is really the bad guy and so he seeks to undermine our trust in God. Why? Because ultimately you can’t love a God who you don’t trust.

Bill Johnson said this “don’t allow what you don’t understand to dislodge what you do understand.” We can’t allow ourselves to lower our theology, our understanding of who God is to the level of our circumstances. At the crossroads of faith we need to move closer to God not further away.  We were never promised a life without trials and tribulation. But we were promised a life of peace during these storms. We need to invite God into our messy, hurting hearts and lives and let Him heal us, comfort and strengthen us.

In times like these, when bad news seems to always be the headlines, we need to hold onto God even more tightly, to anchor our hearts to His goodness, to His love and to His peace. That is what makes our hearts, our faith secure. At the end of the day, God is good guy, always. And by the way, He wins!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)