If God is so good, why do bad things happen to good people?

This is a wonderful reminder of how merciful and loving our God really is.  Lord, please help me to remember that each breath I take is borrowed from You.  I want to do Your will and not my own.  Without Your hand of mercy in my life, I can only imagine where I would be now.  I am so thankful for Your perfect vision and guiding hand in my life. 

Set Me Free

A Healing Captive

O, God, Who frees the captive
Do not liberate this carnal slave for freedom's sake
For I will surely wing my flight to another thorny land.
Break, instead, each evil bond
And rub my swollen wrists,
Then take me prisoner to Your will
Enslaved in Your safekeeping.
O, God, Who ushers light into the darkness,
Do not release me to the light
To only see myself.
Cast the light of my liberation upon Your face
And be Thou my vision.
Do not hand me over
To the quest of greater knowledge.
Make Your Word a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
And lead me to Your dwelling.

-Beth Moore

Why is it that so many Christians are still held captive in the bondage of their past and present sins?  When will it be time to let God release us from our own chains and be free in Him?  How much is too much?  How long will we be able to last in captivity?  Do we really seek to be free?  Do we really long to have the freedom that God has so mercifully and graciously given to us?  These are just random thoughts that I am having.
I want to be completely free of the chains that I have carried throughout my life.  I no longer wish to live held in bondage.  Lord, please help me lay EVERYTHING down at your most gracious feet and let you take over.  I admit that I cannot break these chains alone...you know I've tried.  I pray that you will humble my spirit and give me a peace that no other worldly thing/person can give me.  I desire to live each breath I take in Your complete will.  I desire to live out the wonderful promises that You have given to me to claim.  I love you and in Your name I know I will succeed at claiming freedom and laying down my chains. 

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."  -2 Cor.  3:17

"I will walk about in freedom..."  -Psalms 119:45

"The Lord sets prisoners free..."  -Psalms 146:7

Glorious Day-Casting Crowns

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved one, bringing

My Saviour, Jesus, is mine

Oh, glorious day