God wants good for us. That may seem obvious. And we know it, or claim to know it. But do we really believe Him? Can we truly take Him at His Word?
God is like a good parent, denying us things we don’t really need. He keeps us from being spoiled. He uses object lessons to show us how the world works. As children, we scream obscenely at our parents when we don’t get what we want. We make the tragic mistake of equating what we want with what is good for us.
God wants more for us than we want for ourselves. He knows us better. He cares for us more deeply. He wants the best for us.
Just like a good parent, God is not punishing us for the fun of it. He is not withholding for his own amusement or to display his power oppressively. The Lord does what He does and allows what He allows only because He wants the very best for us.
If we want to develop a holistic perspective, we need to be able to trust God’s intentions for our goodness. We need to accept that His ways are not our ways and that, as difficult and frustrating as it can be, His ways are not just best but are also best for us.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
– Romans 8:28