Here are two very helpful paragraphs that remind us of God’s perspective on our lives:
The fact is, God is not too concerned whether we are happy or not. But he is very concerned over whether we are holy. We can be happy and on our way to hell. But if we are holy, it is only because the Holy One is at home in his temple, our hearts. So we ought to take a long look at adversity and ask what Jesus the Branch means to burn out of us so that he can take us into his tabernacle, where he abides with the Father.
We should also recognize that comfort, pleasure, and security are all by-products, not ends in themselves. If we make those things primary, we will become idolaters, and we will lose those things even as we seize them. But if we make God’s presence and his character primary, then comfort, pleasure and security will fall on us all unaware. But they will be when and where God chooses, and that will be enough becayse because we know he is all we need and that all those other things may come and go as they will. We can live that way because we know that he has no desire to deprive us but seeks, even in the fire, to do us good.”
(from Oswalt, Isaiah NIVAC, 108 – context Isaiah 4:2-6)
Or as Jesus put it, rather more succinctly:
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Now why do we find that so difficult to live out?