Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
PSALM 23:6 | 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
To be an effective spiritual guide for others, you must have a deep sense of hope, and be able to convey it. This does not mean to be a Pollyanna, someone who “always looks on the bright side” and simply ignores life’s troubles. No! The shepherd in Psalm 23 is with us in the presence of our enemies, and in the “dark valley.” Powerful realities must be faced and taken on.
But this wonderful psalm concludes with triumphant hope! “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Notice this bi-directional movement. We must look backward to be hopeful in the present, remembering all God’s gifts of goodness and mercy. Then we look ahead to become hopeful guides, peering toward our place in God’s very home, where evil is over and joy and grace have triumphed.
Do you have a deep sense of hope?
Look backward and forward to deepen it. Share your hope with someone else today.
