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Okay, it's kind of sad that I'm ending the year on a spiritually weaker note. But reflecting over the past year, it's comforting to see my overall growth since December 31st of last year.
In the past 365 days, I'm sure everyone's had spiritual highs and lows. While reading Psalms this month, I realized that even the greatest people in the bible, including David, had ups and downs in faith like we do. David wrote psalms of praise when he was joyful, and he wrote soul-wrenching psalms when he was depressed. He wrote psalms when he was exalted by God, and he wrote psalms when he felt God was far off and his life endangered.
But even in the lows of his life, David remembered the heights that God had brought him & focused on the goodness of the Lord. Even in the shadow of the valley of death, David did not abandon his faith, but held on to the goodness of the Lord:
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" - Ps 27: 13-14
I found that super inspiring - Must.... hold... on.. to the goodness of God! (especially in the more difficult or miserable parts of life) And just wait for Him.
God is Good because...
How each of us describes God's goodness may vary because we experience Him differently in our lives. But it's heart-warming to recollect from the past year the times we have felt or experienced God's goodness. And if we haven't felt it, it's a good time to reflect on why that is.
We often underestimate God's love for us and how good He is. In only seeing God's just side, we beat ourselves up for being weak or for falling short of a certain standard we believe He has set for us. This is not to say we shouldn't repent or feel bad for our mistakes, but being overly legalistic and getting stuck on self-blame can prevent us from experiencing the goodness & mercy of God.
Even though we may have first learned about His justice and righteousness, we also need to learn about His love, mercy, and goodness, to maintain a healthy and balanced spiritual life. At the lowest points of our faith, it's not God's justice that calls us to Him, but rather, His love and goodness. :)
