Blind To Good

Jeremiah 17:5-8: Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Shall not see speaks of blindness. It is blindness to good. Individuals who cannot see good often seem to see everything through glasses muddied with sin. They don*t see the good, they see the mud. This is curable pessimism. There are two causes of this blindness that work together, trusting in men and departing from God. The treatment is two-fold also. We need to stop trusting in men, including ourselves, and come to the Lord.

John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The way to come to the Lord is to receive Jesus into our hearts and lives. Jesus cures the pessimism. His cure may not be all at once. We still have to battle with our sinful flesh. Many who receive Jesus have a changed attitude instantly. For others it is a growth process. When we have Jesus living in our hearts, we can often see when good comes. Mature Christians can see it better and oftener. They are Heaven-bound. There will be no pessimism in Heaven. Receiving Jesus helps us to see clearly the good things and the bad things for what they are.

Romans 8:28-29: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

When we trust the Lord even some of the seemingly bad things work together for good. When we mature as Christians we learn that the only things that work together for bad are sins. And they can all be forgiven. Jesus took upon Himself the worst of the bad for us, judgment. All that can happen to us are temporary little bits of bad. God is in charge of everything. The good things and the seemingly bad things are intended to make us more like Jesus. That is not just a good thing. It is an amazingly wonderful thing.

Romans 5:8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Psalms 103:10: He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Hebrews 5:8: Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Mature Christians can see good when it comes because they know that God is all-powerful, He knows best, He keeps all of His promises and that He loves them!!!

Psalms 84:11: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Care to discuss Blind To Good with Ron?

He'd also like to hear your prayer requests