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Good gifts
Some people are really great gift givers. They know exactly what to buy to make the person feel understood and loved. God is the ultimate gift giver. He always knows what we need. He always knows what the desires of our heart are. He always knows the right time to give us the gift. And He always knows when the gift we’re asking for isn’t going to be the right thing for us. The Bible tells us that ‘every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows’ (James 1:17 NIV). God’s love for us is unchanging and He wants to give us ‘good and perfect’ gifts. We have the ability to enter into God’s presence and ask Him for what we want. Jesus said, ‘How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!’ And if we’re walking in obedience and seeking to please Him, we can be confident when we come before Him. The Bible says: ‘If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God’ (1 John 3:21 NIV). But if we’re approaching with selfish motives or sin that we haven’t confessed, we’ll probably feel uncomfortable in God’s presence and struggle to confidently believe that God will provide for us. So let’s make sure we’re dealing with sin and seeking His will at all times. We’re told that ‘He does not hold back anything good from those whose lives are innocent’ (Psalm 84:11 NCV). And if God’s saying no, it’s because it wouldn’t be good for us. We just need to trust Him – He has something better in mind for us.
What Now?
Make a list of all the blessings God’s given you. Then take the time to go through each one and thank Him for it.
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