"...The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him."  (Ezra 8:22b)

Whatever God is, He is abundantly! In other words, God isn't a half-way God. He doesn't ride the fence; He doesn't start something and leave it unfinished. He excels in all He does.

The hand of God is upon us for good. If we stop there, though, we only have a half-truth. The phrase includes "if we seek Him". The Bible tells us that God is good and that it pleases Him to pour His goodness into the lives of His children who depend on Him!

I don't know of anyone who depends on Him more than the chronically ill. My experience has been that those who suffer either fall into one of two categories—trusting God with every bit of strength we have, or denying God and blaming our pain and helplessness on Him.

Nothing can happen to us that the will of God does not allow. The enemy cannot sneak in when God's not looking and strip us of all that belongs to us who are in covenant relationship with God. Remember, we serve an omnipotent God, more powerful than any devil ever thought to be. God can, and does, override the enemy's plans for our destruction time and time again. All He asks is that we seek Him.

Matthew 6:23 says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." The key is seeking God first, not the things He can give—not even His healing, but God Himself.

Are you seeking Him? Are you depending upon Him? If you can honestly answer "Yes", then know "the hand of God is upon you for good!"

Father, it is comforting to know that nothing can come against me that You are not aware of, that Your hand is upon me as I walk day by day seeking Your face. Help me to keep my eyes on You and not on my circumstances. Help me remember You are for me and not against me. Help me be quick to praise You for all that You have provided for me, even when I hurt, even when pain blocks my view of Your faithfulness. Strengthen me, Lord, to give You the praise You are so deserving of. Amen!

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

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Note:  As a way of acknowledging "National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week," this week's devotions will be of a nature that will encourage anyone who either suffers with or knows someone who suffers with an invisible chronic illness. You are encouraged to forward this week's devotions to anyone you know who might find encouragement as they deal with the pain and emotional burden associated with invisible chronic illness.