"But unless we know the true character of God and realize the He's only good all the time, we, too, find ourselves grumbling and complaining.  It is absolutely essential to always remember that even when we don't get what we want or our circumstances seem to be difficult, God's intention is still good.  He will work something good in us through the difficulty we're facing if we will continue to view Him correctly and put our trust in Him."

-Joyce Meyer, God is Not Mad at You

When I read this the other morning I stopped still to hear the vibrations of the "true" bell that had just rung in me.  He is ONLY good, ALL the time.  

"Anxiety is a form of fear," said our professor this week. (Dr. Melvin Hanna)
What am I so afraid of, so often, then?

As I hear of a difficult situation -- impossible, actually, with no solution -- for loved ones far away...      well, OF COURSE I'm anxious!

But Joyce suggests that I need not worry, or even grumble just a little bit.

"...perfect love drives out fear... The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (I John 4:18)

So if I'm afraid... it means there's something missing... there is an incompletion or an imperfection of the level of love that I experience.  Only God's love is perfect and complete.  And He is both ALL- POWERFUL and ALL-LOVING.
So, where's the breakdown?

Why the anxiety?

Do I fear the bad decisions and self-destructive attitudes and behavior of my loved one?
Or do I fear that we've ruined our chances to make a difference in her life?  That it was all up to us and we couldn't handle it, and now there's no fixing it.

I fear that God has somehow dropped the ball and we are left alone to put the shattered pieces together, to get a life back on a track it seemingly was never on to begin with.

Hold the phone!

Making all things new -- even stony hearts and burnt bridges -- is strictly in God's realm of business.

I think I've found my problem.  

I've been trying to BE God.

Not so good, I know... but NOT doing that implies I must choose to perfectly trust the only perfect lover in the universe.  He specializes in "lost causes."

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezequiel 11:19 and 36:26)

Forgive me, God, for my unbelief in your character -- good and powerful -- and for my pride, thinking I need to do your job for you.  Amen.