"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." (Psalm 34:1-10 ESV)
We serve an amazing, awesome, and good God that deserves all the praise and the glory forever. He gives us so many blessings to both sustain and deliver us from our trouble. He knows what we will encounter before we know it and he gives us what we need to overcome the trials and tribulations that seek to knock us down. God's goodness is beyond our human comprehension and even when we can't see it in the present, he is still working everything out for good.
I am reminded of a time a few short months ago when my grandparents came to visit for a couple weeks for my mom's memorial service. It felt good to have a piece of my mom back in the house after losing her last August. One of the things that I loved to do with my mom in the mornings was sit with her at our dining room table in the mornings and drink coffee together. It was a special time that I spent with her where she would give me counsel about life and would teach me about the ways of God. So after she passed, I really missed that time I had with her. When my grandparents came to visit, God blessed me with that special time with my grandfather that I would have normally had with my mom. And if you knew my mom and my grandpa you would know that they were a lot alike. Both of them were strong in faith and they both loved people and were both gifted in giving others wise christian counsel.
I will never forget the one morning that we were sitting together at the table, my grandpa and I drinking our coffee (he was a huge coffee drinker) and my grandma with her tea as we reminisced about the good memories of my mom's childhood. They told me many stories that I didn't even know about that I am sure my mom had forgotten, but all of them were good. We not only talked about my mom but we also talked about the goodness of God that was very evident throughout my mom's life. I will never forget what my grandfather said to me that has helped me and encouraged me through the hard places in my grief. He said, "Ya gotta remember the good times and the good things."
He taught me that even though grief was hard and sometimes it feels like it presses in on every side, that thinking about the goodness of God will help me through it. And when I feel like my grief is too heavy to bare, then all I have to do is think on the good things of God to give me strength. Philippians 4:4-8 says to think on the good things of God in this way,
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (ESV)
Beyond thinking on the good things of God, I also think it is important for us to do what David is doing in Psalm 34, which is to physically praise the Lord for his goodness with our mouths. To physically speak about God's goodness helps our souls to rejoice in him. It gives our minds something to focus on that brings healing rather than causes us to cycle through the hurt, pain and anxious thoughts that constantly try to run through our brains in an effort to process trauma and grief. If we think on the good things, then we give our tired minds a chance to rest in the peace and joy of God's presence. I don't know about you, but I know my mind is tired from processing grief the way that it has been. I'm tired of fighting through the day, trying to encourage myself in my own strength to keep going. What I need, and what I think we all need right now to get us through each day is to practice this simple truth: to think on the good things of God, and to praise his goodness with the words of our mouth.
Dear Lord, thank you for your goodness. Teach us to come to the table to taste your goodness. Help put our tired minds at rest by thinking on the good things that you have done for us. Help us to continually speak your praises throughout the day to not only give our weary souls strength through your goodness, but so that others may know your goodness and will be encouraged and strengthened and that their minds can find the rest that they need as well. Thank you Lord for your many blessings. In Jesus name, Amen.
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