There was coal in my stocking!
I’ve been naughty. Right?
Actually, receiving coal was funny, but it did provoke a serious question.
Does God Give Bad Gifts?
Does God give His children, believers in Christ, coal? Does God give bad gifts to His own?
Nope.
““If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)
The Father gave us (believers) His Son. How will He not give us all things?
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
God’s Gifts
Jesus Christ
“Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”” (John 4:10)
The Holy Spirit
“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
Justification
“…being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;” (Romans 3:24)
Eternal Life
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
And wait! There’s more! (Make your own list.)
Discipline
Of course, He does discipline us to make us more godly, to make us more like Christ.
Discipline is a gift!
“‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)
He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:10–11)
What To Do With “Coal”
Sometimes, God’s best gifts look grim.
Remember, He is our Father, loves us from everlasting to everlasting, and equips us for heaven.
Everything from His hand, the apparent good and the apparent bad, will be used for good.
When I unwrapped the “coal” in my stocking, inside the wrappers were chocolates.
And, yes, the chocolates were yummy.
Look beyond the appearance of the “bad gift,” know your Father loves you, and trust Him to use that “gift” for good. (Romans 8:28)
