EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

I memorized this scripture as a young girl and it’s always been one of my favorites.

Maybe I have loved this verse because my love language is gifts. Or it could be because James refers to God as the “Father of lights” and I’ve always loved that term. But I think the main reason is it states so plainly who God is and what comes from Him. God is good and He habitually gives good and perfect gifts to His children.

Many people get this all mixed up. They think the struggles we face in life; failure, sickness, lack, pain and suffering come from God.

If that is the case then the Bible does an awful job portraying it because all through the Word I read scriptures like James 1:17 that states that every good and perfect gift comes from our Father. Psalm 23:6 says that surely (absolutely) goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives and Psalm 84:11 says He will withhold no good thing to those who walk uprightly. These are just a few of so many more.

Let’s look at James1:17 a bit closer. The writer, James, starts the verse out with an important word; every. The word “every” means everything, or all.  

The word “good” in the Greek simply mean profitable or beneficial and the word “perfect” means something mature, completing or perfecting.

So we could say, everything given by God is always good, beneficial and profitable. He habitually gives. God adds to our lives. He advances, complete, matures and perfects us.

The phrase “Father of lights” also means “Life-giving Father.” He gives life and His specialty is light that dispels death and darkness. James is speaking comparatively to describe life that comes from above, from the Father of life, as opposed to death that comes from below – from the enemy.

There is no variation or turning means God does not change His ways or modify who He is. God’s nature and His way of doing things are predictable. He never changes his position or His stance on what He gives and doesn’t give. We never have to wonder what comes from God because His position is fixed and it never budges!

We serve an amazing, giving Father God! We have to get it straight in our thinking. God is good and the devil is bad. If it’s good it’s from God. If it’s bad it’s from the god of this world; the devil.



Declaration to Life: If it comes from God, it is always good! Praise God for his good and perfect gifts. He pours out showers of blessings on me. He is faithful and His goodness is predictable in my life! His goodness is running after me!!