Some days can be hard. Disappointments and setbacks get dumped at our door when no delivery was expected. Or perhaps it was a different delivery we were waiting on.

Then comes the moment, the “Aha” moment, when God brings encouragement from reading in several varied places. We can speak to our own souls, shaking our own souls free from the negative or hopeless whispers hanging around in the recesses of our minds.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
(Psalm 27:13-14, NLT)

Our confidence and hope lies in the Lord’s presence with us. He is for us and while life may not always deliver good or pleasant news, we are assured of the Lord’s goodness; here on the soil of this earth.

In writing this psalm, David reminds us to take in the wonders of God’s grace – His beauty, His protection, and His goodness towards us. My Bible commentary shares:

“He [David] came away from his times of worship feeling the rock under his feet and seeing above and beyond the enemy to the victory God had prepared.” (Wiersbe Study Bible)

Fully assured of Who held the future, David was enabled to hold on bravely and with courage. He was able to wait patiently for God to unfold his future.

In her post, “After All…”, Paris Renae shares this quote:

“In all the setbacks we experience in life, God is plotting for our joy ”“ but it’s probably not going to look like you think.” (Pastor Jay Holland)

God is plotting for our joy. The storyline He has written for our life contains joy. We may not see it in this moment, but it is there, waiting to be released into our life.

David reminds us to wait patiently for the Lord. While waiting, be brave and courageous. Why?

Because the wait will take every ounce of our courage. It will demand tenacity we didn’t even know we possessed to wait.

“To live in faith means to wait patiently in recognition of the Lord’s goodness.” (NLT Bible Commentary)

Although the present may not be pleasant, if we can recognize the Lord’s goodness, remembering He a good God and all He does is good, we are enabled by His Spirit to wait patiently.

Jeremiah brought a word to God’s people, who were exiled in Babylon. He told them to expect to stay there for seventy years. That’s a long time. He also brings them a promise from the Lord as to what would happen afterwards:

“But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11, NLT)

The promise is specific to the exiles but brings hope to us today. The Lord has good plans for our lives which gives us a future and a hope.

And those setbacks are a small part of His plan. Circumstances may not be what you had wanted or expected, but they are a part of His plotting for your life.

Wait patiently.
Be brave and courageous.
Have faith and
wait patiently for the Lord’s goodness.