Psalm 23:6 ~ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What’s following you? You may think that is a strange question to ask. Often we are asked, “who’s following you or whom are you following?” But in this last verse of the 23rd Psalm, David declares that goodness and mercy shall follow him. What does that mean? It means that David realized that if he kept his trust in God and allowed God to direct his path, that even in valley moments, God’s goodness and mercy would be with him. The same goes for us.
God promised to never leave or forsake us; however, we are the ones that often will stray from God. When we do stray, it makes it harder for us to truly see God’s goodness in our lives. It’s hard for us to see the mercies and miracles that He grants everyday for us, when our eyes are not on Him. When we no longer have God as our first priority, that disconnection allows worry, fear and anxiety to creep in. Our safety is in the presence of the Lord, which is why David also declared that he would dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He knew that was where he would be protected from the ills and distractions of the world. God didn’t promise us that we wouldn’t have difficult times, but He did promise that He would see us through them.
I often find myself getting emotional when trials hit. What I am learning is that when I take those trials or issues to God, pray about them, surrender them to Him, and then just focus on my relationship with God, I find peace in my spirit. To me there is an indescribable calm that comes about when you get in the presence of God, even when it may seem that your world around you is falling a part. I think that may be part of why James said we should count it all joy when we face trials (James 1:2). It has been through my trials that I have grown the most in my relationship with God. It is through my trials that my trust in Him continues to be strengthen. It is through my trials that I see and get a better understanding of the magnitude of God’s love for His children. It is through my trials that I see God’s goodness and mercy following me. And just like David, I declare that I will dwell in the house (in the presence) of the Lord forever.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your goodness and mercy that is shown to me and all Your children everyday. Forgive me for those times that I allowed the worry and anxiety of my trials to keep me from Your presence. Thank you for drawing my spirit back to You so that I could once again enjoy Your peace. Amen.
Purpose in Action: Take some time and think about my initial question – “What’s following you?” Do you see God’s goodness and mercy following you? If not, take some time to get in God’s presence and surrender whatever is distracting you from Him.
For His Purpose,
LiKeisha
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