No Good Thing

For about the past month, God has laid Psalm 16:2 on my heart:

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

I have so much to be thankful for as this year closes and I am able to reflect on all the things my Father has graciously delivered me from. It has definitely been a year of renewal and refining of my heart and I could not be more grateful for God breaking me and putting me back together into a woman striving to reflect His heart.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ~Psalm 51:10

As He tends to do, God revealed a greater truth about His goodness in the quietness of my car a few nights ago. I was thinking about how I want my body to be in perfect shape physically, and at the same time thinking about my passionate dislike of the gym. I petitioned God, "God, why can't I just have a perfect body without having to work for it?" Immediately He answered with Psalm 16:2 and I began to realize the depths of having NO good thing apart from God.
For me, it's easy to apply that verse to direct blessings I see in my life or certain situations. My pride gets in the way and I give myself credit for things I feel like I have accomplished, such as making it to the gym, or getting a good grade on a test. I was quickly reminded, it's not about my goodness at all. Left on my own, I am not capable of good, I am a sinful creature by nature. I've started listing and giving over the things in my life that I tend to take credit for and as I do, I am striving to give credit back to the One who is truly worthy of praise - and it's not me!

It is vain to trust the creatures: it is wise to trust the Creator...None are so safe as those whom God keeps; none so much in danger as the self-secure. ~Charles Spurgeon

Here's part of the list I've come up with so far:

-weight/body
-grades
-relationships
-giving of myself to others
-passions
-worship/singing
-my car/material things
-the city and state where I live
-graduating soon
-my future career plans
-the people I'm blessed with in my life
-my walk with God
-the trials I face and overcome
-the joys I experience
-the things I'm good at

It ALL belongs to God, for His glory, not mine. If I boast, may it be in Jesus Christ who has graciously given me all things. I can claim nothing for my own. Thank you, Father, for that.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ~Galatians 6:14

As 2009 closes, I encourage you to make a list of the things you think you are doing good and to realize Who is doing these good things through you! This life is not about me, it's all about Him.

Somehow my story is a part of Your plan, so here I am. ~Downhere