The next time you are down and troubled and may “feel,” “All these things are against me,”don’t end there, for there is where despair begins, hope is quenched, the future is unthinkable and quitting is your constant thought. Remember God is working in the background and He is working all things, the painful things, the misunderstanding things, the things that weight heavy on your mind, He is working “ALL THINGS together for good!” {Rom 8:28}. End with Him not the problem, but He who is Pre-eminent over all! Indeed look at the circumstance, humanly speaking, it may not feel good or look good, “But God…” is working it all together for good, to make us like His dear Son.{Rom 8:29}. Always end with Him. Indeed when the thought arises of hopelessness, defeat, when despair would seek to grab your thought life and lead you down into a dark hole of despair, raise up the shield of faith and remind yourself of Him…finish your THINKING with HIM. You may have to battle with your thoughts and emotions and like David you may be tempted to despair but look at his “BUT GOD…” moment when he uses the word, “unless,” “Surely I would have despaired…UNLESS I BELIEVED to SEE the Goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” {Psalm 27:13}. He knew he could not but spiral down if he related and relied on himself. What saved him from despair? He “… believed to see “… .”Faith in Him precedes sight. We want to “see” first,” then decide whether to “believe” or not. In God’s economy faith precedes sight {2 Cor 5:7}. God’s alternative for despair? “Believe to see…” specifically, “…the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” He ended with the LORD!  He by faith, pre-occupied his mind on this truth -God is Good! God is working “all things for good,” and the ultimate good is to make me more like His Son in my attitude, perspective, motivation and deeds. He ended with… Him!

“ALL things are against me… BUT GOD, is working. ” But God,” is for me. “But God,” is good!  “But God,” is “WORKING ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD to those who love Him and are the called…!”

Ending your problem with yourself will lead to despair. End with, “But God…”

{From The Message,”All These Things Are Against Me.”}