They saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. (Mark 5:15)
More than I’d like to admit, I can be wary of God’s goodness. Prayers are answered or blessings are plopped in my lap, and instead of being grateful, I hold the gift at arm’s length. I don’t trust it. Or perhaps if I’m being more transparent, I don’t trust God—my thinking skewed to believe he’s only dangling the good thing in front of me. Surely, it won’t last.
Upon seeing the miracle that had taken place in the demon-possessed man, the crowd’s immediate reaction was not to draw near, but to shirk back. They were afraid of the goodness that had transpired right in front of them. Instead of drawing closer to the Miracle Man, they asked Jesus to leave. Their mistrust in God’s goodness held not only the miracle at arm’s length, but also Christ himself.
God’s ways don’t always make sense. His grace doesn’t always arrive how we expect, or the miracle seems too good to be true. But we must trust that through it all, God is good. He—not the gift—is worthy.
As a result, we don’t need to be fearful of what we don’t understand or maintain a “safe” distance. We can lean in. Draw near. Ask questions. We can ask for eyes that recognize his goodness and run toward it.
Trust in the Giver of all good things.
Sarah E. Westfall is an author, speaker, and graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She resides in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and their four boys. She really wants a nap.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
