HOPE SEES THE GOODNESS OF GOD

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would SEE THE GOODNESS of the LORD in the land of the living" – Psalm 27:13

HOPE SEES THE GOODNESS of GOD: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would SEE THE GOODNESS of the LORD in the land of the living" (Psa.27:13). The New International Version says: “I am still confident of this: I WILL SEE the GOODNESS of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psa.27:13, NIV). Hope is anticipating God’s Goodness. The more we understand His Goodness, the more hopeful we’ll be. The next verse says: “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD! The main reason we have Hope is because God is good. If God is not a good God, there is no sound basis for Hope. To have Hope in God is to look forward into the future with confidence and expectation, assured that we’ll experience His Goodness in the land of the living – even on this side of eternity.

God has only good plans for our lives: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a HOPE” (Jer. 29:11). God never plans evil for His children. Everything God does for us, through us, to us, and in us, He does because He is good. His goodness in our lives isn’t based on how good we are. It’s based on God’s character, not yours. Yet many people miss God’s plan for their lives because they don’t trust Him. Instead, they decide to follow their own devices and schemes, which often end up in despair, hopelessness and pessimism: “I would have DESPAIRED unless I had believed that I’d see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psa.27:13 NASB).

David, in this text, needed hope. He had lived a life where his enemies were constantly on his trail, facing one trial after another. If it was not King Saul or the Philistines in hot pursuit, it was Israel’s enemies chasing after him. David had a choice to either believe the giants in his life that he was facing or to trust God and take Him at His Word. David chose to trust God. From his youth, he had history with God: “You have been my help…O God of my salvation” (v.9b).  And now, he could see the hands of God working on his behalf, even in the midst of danger. If we’ll reflect, each of us also has a history with God.

David's life was not trouble free; but it was Victory-full! If we never had a problem, we would never know how God could solve them. When the enemy of our mind attempts to torment us with his lies, we can go to the Word of God and find hope and peace. Through it all, David learned to trust in God and to take Him at His Word. We must do to the same: put our Hope in God for He alone can shelter us in His secret place, in times of troubles. Then, we can look back over our lives and see the things that we have gone through and how God not only strengthened us in them, but brought us through them all.

Beloved, are the storms of life raging? Remember the purpose of trials: “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Pet.1:7). Don’t allow the enemy to torment your mind. God is for you and not against you. Determine in your heart that “Through It All” you will trust God and take Him at His Word! Whatever else we may lose, we must never lose heart or lose hope! A song-writer said: “Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus; I’ve learned to trust in God. “Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.” May this be our triumphant testimony, in Jesus name!