I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm 27:13-14 ESV
Walking through an all-consuming trial can make capturing our thoughts especially difficult. Whether that trial is the current pandemic or your failing marriage, the financial challenges caused by recent economic changes or watching your spouse fall apart, our trials can take our minds to places we would never willingly go. But that place is revealing. Our trial can show us where we need to bow our heart in complete submission. It can show us where we don’t trust in the goodness of God and where we don’t want to wait on Him. It can show us where we still want control of our lives and where our fears still control our decisions.
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14 NASB
My favorite version of this verse is the NASB—it’s the version I have stored in my heart because it captures the promise that stills my fears. Without the firm belief in the promise that I will see the goodness of the Lord here—on this earth, while I am still living—I would have despaired. I would have given up hope. I would have quit.
When we look out at the world, there is a lot to despair about. The news paints a bleak picture of our future, and we are powerless to do much more than sit in our homes. Our new reality may be the looming financial ruin as we realize our career is not essential, or it may be the lack of medical insurance during a medical crisis. Our new reality maybe we’re trapped in a house with someone who is incredibly difficult, or we haven’t experienced intimate love in the past six weeks. How do you find hope when you can’t change your circumstances?
When we’re in despair, we can’t see anything good in our future. Our temptation in these desperate moments is to just give up hope. But in this psalm, instead of surrendering to the darkness of despair, David chose to believe with confidence in the goodness of God’s promises. David didn’t understand what God was doing, but He chose to trust Him, despite what He saw in front of Him.
We need grab a hold of the same promises when we feel as if all hope is lost. When we look at the difficult trials in front of is, we have a choice: we can choose to drop our heads into our hands and give up; or we can choose to stand on the promises God makes to us in scripture. He promises never to leave us or forsake us, He promises to love us, He promises to work all things out for the good of those who love Him. All things, not just some things. He promises we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
David lived His life as if this statement were true. He didn’t see God’s goodness when He spoke these words, He saw an enemy encamped around him. But He believed He would, and that belief is what kept Him out of the pit of despair.
Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows this has been my life verse through difficult seasons of trials. It’s where I turn when the storms begin to rage and chaos takes over. It’s where I find His peace when my heart is aching because I live in such a broken world. The confidence in David’s statement that we WILL see the goodness of the Lord here in the land of the living washes over me when the world screams something different. We will see His goodness, our job is to simply wait for Him to work.
Press on ~ you are loved 💗
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