When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2.

“I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11.

Each new morning is a beginning and a fresh opportunity to spend time with Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. Reading His word, spending quiet time with Him restores us to Him and the help He brings anew. And our chapter, 1 Peter 2: Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrow when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Living in a fallen world we can’t escape the hardships brought by our own sins and the sins of others. That’s what a fallen world brings. And God brings something different. He brings restoration of all that is good and needed. First in us individually realizing our deep need for Him, and then with Him, the expanding of our hearts for others. Our walk with Him is daily and each day can bring us closer to His purpose in our lives for His good that He brings. I know the healing He is bringing in me. Why is it so hard for me to believe He will bring that same needed healing for all of His children? Because it’s so much bigger than what I can yet see living now in this fallen world that would have me care only about myself. That’s where the blessing of trusting Him helps. And walking with Him now is preparing me to trust Him for everything needed for all of us. Not my will so limiting still and afraid. His good will. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross…so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness…for by His wounds we are healed to return to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. We have so much to understand about our wounds and the amazing thing is, He is here and will help us as we trust Him for all that is needed. Heavy, heavy burdens we were never meant to carry are lifted as we trust Him who knows the Way and the Truth and the Life. We can trust Him for everything! But first, we learn with His help how to trust Him for our own needed healing…and He is here. He will restore us fully to the full community of His family dearly loved that He always intends. A family loved by Him, loving Him and loving one another! “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster…to give you a future and a hope!” The restoration of all things, His creation dearly loved!