goodness

Opening Prayer: Thank you, O Lord, that your goodness and unfailing love pursue us all the days of our lives.  Help us to really believe that.

Scripture: Psalm 23:6

Journal: to what degree do you really believe that God is good?  How does that play out in your life when things aren’t going so well?  Is your belief in God’s goodness contingent on the goodness of your circumstances?  What does it look like to trust in God’s goodness, even when the times are hard?

Reflection: “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Ps. 23:6, NLT) It’s easy to acknowledge God’s goodness when times are good, but what about when times are not so good?  How much of our belief in God’s goodness is contingent upon our circumstances at the moment?  Either God is good or he’s not, our circumstances should have no bearing on that reality.  But as soon as things get hard, we tend to call him into question.  We begin to doubt his goodness.

That’s where Psalm 23:6 comes into play.  And it starts with the word surely.  Did you get that?  Surely!  It is a fact that his goodness and unfailing love will pursue us all the days of our lives, not just the best days of our lives.  Thus, every day, regardless of our circumstances, we can trust in God’s goodness, whether things are turning out the way we want them to or not.  God is good.  All the time.  Period.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: You are good, O Lord, all the time.  Help me to trust in your goodness and your unfailing love this day.  Amen.