“Oh taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8

His Goodness

I went to bed last night feeling like such a failure . . . AGAIN, but not because I had committed some shameful act or was struggling with sinful thoughts. And even though I did “accomplish some fruitful things”, I felt like I did not redeem the rest of my time wisely: I didn’t pray enough, read and meditate on the Word enough, get enough chores done, etc. Instead, I spent the remainder of the day  “goofing off” reading a book and working on a jigsaw puzzle when I could or should have been more “productive.” As I pillowed my head with a heavy heart, I told myself I would try to do better tomorrow.

He gave me a song in the night (Job 35:10), as the next morning I awoke with the words of a song going through my head that we had recently sung at church: “Your goodness is running after, running after me.”

Oh, how that lifted my spirit, assuring me of God’s love, and reminded me that I don’t have to, or can’t, work for my own righteousness. It was the enemy of my soul along with my own heart, not God that was condemning me! Why am I so quick to forget that, and think I need to earn His love and acceptance?

This experience made me so thankful that His Holy Spirit dwells within me, and that I can hear His voice encouraging, comforting, and guiding me as well as convicting me when necessary. He loves me and will never condemn me (Romans 8:1), though my own heart many times has. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20).

 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6).

“Lord, You are so good, and I am grateful that Your sheep hear Your voice, and that nothing can separate us from Your love. Help me to slow down so that Your love, goodness and mercy will catch up to and overtake me! Amen!”