Goodness Now

 Enjoyed watching mom groom her twins. 

"[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." 

Psalm 27:13

"This encouraging testimony was written for us by the psalmist, David, after he had gone through some shadowing experiences of severe trial and testing . . . The sweet psalmist of Israel reveals the secret which kept his soul from fainting. He 'believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.' That means in the present life, not in the life hereafter."   Streans in the Desert 2, Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

I've always loved this verse in Psalms. I will believe in the goodness of the Lord. NOW. Even if everything is falling apart. Even if I'm scared of what is going to happen. Even if I'm discouraged. 

It's easy to say you believe God has your life under His control at all times. It's harder when sorrow, hurt and sadness are all you see. "Believe to see." Believe. That's what gets us through all those hard and undesirable things. 

Matthew Henry said: "The psalmist requests the favor of the Lord; the continuance of His presence with him; the benefit of Divine guidance, and the benefit of Divine protection . . . There is nothing like the believing hope of eternal life, the foresights of that glory, and foretastes of those pleasures, to keep us from fainting under all calamities."

Fawn have now doubled and tripled in size. Rare to find a small one now.

Most of us feel like we're going to faint under the pressures of life. So, keeping the frame of mind that says: "believe to see" is important. It may not cause the problem or concern to go away at that moment, but it can direct our thoughts to something greater that is capable of changing the way we see them.

My testing came quick. I drafted this article in the early morning. That evening, as I sat in my chair in the writing room, I was in low spirits. The words I wrote that morning came into my mind. I said to myself, "Do I believe what I wrote?" I knew I did, so I kept repeating to myself, "I will believe. I will believe. I will believe." 

And I do. I started recalling the HOPE I have in my heart and the home I will one day go to. There is always a choice. Make your choice: "I will believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Say it again and again. Cement it in your mind.

It's that deep, settled confidence that God gives us. Make sure you have it.

By His Grace . . .