When Good Just Isn't Good Enough

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. (Psalm 84:11, emphasis mine)

When I came across this verse it struck me as one of those verses that would be easy for people to twist, just as people commonly misinterpret Psalm 37:4 (emphasis mine, well actually I've heard plenty of Christians emphasize it this way, so I guess the emphasis really isn't mine, but you know what I mean), which reads:

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

But if we look - really look - God doesn't just blindly give out whatever we want. Even if it appears to be "good," because every "good" thing may not be good for us.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6, emphasis mine)

The fruit of the tree looked good, it was food, and it would make one wise. So, why wasn't it good for her? I mean for all intents and purposes this was a good thing, so why did God forbid them from eating of this tree? Because it wasn't good for them, even if it appeared good to them.

Let's look at Ruth, she didn't go back to her father's house after her husband died. Rather she followed Naomi and trusted the Lord to provide. It seemed good to Naomi for Ruth to turn as Oprah had, but it wasn't where the Lord wanted her. It may have been good, but it wasn't best. And so Ruth committed herself to following Naomi and walking His way for her life even when it didn't make sense to anyone else.

And this is why we must commit our "way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." (Psalm 37:5) God's ways may not seem logical to the world - they may not be fun to our flesh - but truly His way is the only way that will bring us to the greatness He desires for us. Despite my flesh, despite my pride, I know His way is the only way to life eternal. And so daily I find it is necessary for me to set my heart and thoughts upon Him, because ultimately I want what is best, not good.