Samuel awoke as the morning sun glistened on his face.

His clothing was starting to dry from the seawater that had soaked him the night before. As he wiped the beads of sweat streaming down his face, he recalled the memories of the previous day….

The weather was perfect for sailing, so he boarded his sailboat and pushed away from the dock. Once he was at a point where he could relax and enjoy the sea’s calmness, he pulled out his favorite devotional. As he was reading and enjoying God’s goodness, he didn’t notice the impending storm that was approaching. It came suddenly and swiftly, and his anchor did not hold. The rest of that day was a blur. The only certainty he had as he lay on the shoreline was that he was alive, while his sailboat was missing.

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 ESV

God’s Word assures us in Psalm 23:6, “goodness and mercy” will follow us “all the days” of our lives. Lets focus on these verses. What does “all the days” mean? We know calamities come, as in the example above, so what exactly is the Lord telling us?

Life, in so many ways, is like sailing. One moment we are rejoicing and praising God, and then the next moment, we find ourselves shipwrecked, and in sorrow and despair. Why does this happen? I believe God allows these difficult times so we will draw closer to Him. It’s in these instances that we remember God’s Word, press into Him, and believe its truths.

The declaration in Psalms 23:6 NKJV that surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, does happen, and it is the norm. Difficult times help us to appreciate the goodness that is the usual, expected norm.

What “shipwreck” are you experiencing right now? Has this drawn you closer, or further from God? If it is the latter, is it because you thought God had withdrawn His goodness from you? Let me reassure you that the opposite is true. As long as you are alive, God’s goodness and mercy will be with you, and this for all of your days. God will never leave you or forsake you, and He will never withdraw His goodness or mercy from you.

Remember what Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV says, and rely on this Bible truth in times of need:

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

~Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV

When you feel shipwrecked, please rest assured God is still with you, and this situation is temporary. Reach up to Him for a rescue. He will turn your sorrow to joy, and your dark and stormy night into a calm sea.

Share how God has turned a distressing situation around for His good.

Heavenly Father, thank You for your goodness that You give me each day of my life. When I go through troubled times, I will choose to lift my eyes and my hands toward heaven and rejoice in Your goodness that is on the way. I will praise you no matter the circumstances, knowing You will turn them around for my good. You are a merciful Father, and You are with me at all times, especially when the storms of life come.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genre: Fictional story–first part; Non-fiction–remainder

Copyright 2020: The Goodness of God: Ed Chappelle: All Rights Reserved