Complete trust in the goodness of
God and the reliability of God’s Word
is essential for emotional, mental, and spiritual health, as well as
healthy relationships. At whatever point you
think God will not protect your interests, or at whatever point you
think obedience to His Word will cause you to miss out on longed for pleasures or
leave you vulnerable to the schemes and injustice of others, you will depart from
doing things God’s way and resort to doing things your own way in order to promote or
protect your interests. Since God’s way
of thinking and behaving is based on love, to depart from
God’s way leaves only one other way – selfishness (seeking the good of self
as your first concern and then seeking the good of others
only as it fits into your first concern). Therefore, selfishness is
a form of insanity which works against emotional, mental, and
spiritual health as well as healthy relationships. FOREVER We
sigh for human love, from which a whim or chance may sever, and leave unsought the
love of God, tho' God's love lasts forever. We seek earth's peace in
things that pass like foam upon the river, While steadfast as the
stars on high, God's peace abides forever. Man's help, for which we
long, gives way, as trees in storm winds quiver, But mightier than all
human need God's help remains forever. Turn unto Thee our
wavering hearts, O Thou who failest never; Give us Thy love and Thy
great peace, and be our Help forever. (Effie Smith Ely 1879)
A “positional” relationship to Christ
That does not transform one’s life
Is the greatest possible denial of Christ’s words,
“I am the true vine, you are the branches:
he that abideth in me and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit.”
(William Law)