It is so tempting to tremble or let fear take over my imagination as earthly tensions increase – and it doesn’t take much effort anymore to be aware of wildly increasing violence and tension all around us. After reaching this verse from Luke about a year ago, my mind was captured by the thought that people’s hearts will actually fail – whether this is mental, emotional, physical, or even all three – because their fear is so strong. I recognized my own heart quiver as I looked on the horrific things happening in the nations, and things which are threatening to happen. So I began asking God about how to have a strong heart, at rest, no matter what my eyes see in this world.
He spoke to me so tenderly! One of my favorite keys that He revealed about having a strong heart is to have confidence that I will see His goodness. In Psalm 27:13-14, David says, “I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!”
And seriously – remember what David went through! In Psalm 27 alone, he talks of false witnesses, enemies, violence, even wicked men “coming against me to eat up my flesh.” That is surely an opportunity to be afraid! But yet, David kept heart through his confidence in the Lord’s goodness. I think it’s important, too, that David says he will see the Lord’s goodness “in the land of the living” – not just after he died. It’s such a trap to think that we have to live out this life, under the full weight of the world, while waiting to experience God’s goodness when we finally make it to heaven. That’s almost as disheartening as not experiencing God’s goodness at all.
In hard times, it’s not always easy or fun to be reminded that God is good – but it’s vital to remember. I have been so encouraged by pressing in to find Him and His goodness! The Lord gave me two statements to declare over and over to myself when I was tempted to tremble:
- “I know God, that You are always fighting for me. Help me to see You fighting for me.”
- "I know the story is not over until I’ve seen Your goodness. Help me to see Your goodness.”
Experiencing His goodness is not the same as having a perfect or easy life. In John 16:33, Jesus says that we will, indeed, experience hard times… “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” His intentions for us are always that our hearts will be at rest in Him, no matter what we are going through. Sometimes, it takes a bit of work to get our hearts there – me included! But it’s a good journey, with a good destination.
I hope these words encourage you, as He used them to encourage me. In good times and bad, may our praise and trust in Him be glorious, even as David’s.
