truth to anchor your soul.

“I will make with them an everlasting covenant that I will not turn away from doing good to them . . . . I will rejoice in doing good to them.” (Jeremiah 32:40, 41).

This is one of those promises of God that I come back to again and again when I get discouraged (yes, that happens to pastors). Can you think of any fact more encouraging than that God rejoices to do you good?

He doesn’t begrudgingly fulfill his promise (Romans 8:28). It is his joy to do you good. And not just sometimes. Always! “I will not turn away from doing good to them.”

But sometimes our situation is so hard to bear we just can’t muster any joy. When that happens to me, I try to imitate Abraham: “In hope he believed against hope” (Romans 4:18). God has always been faithful to guard that little spark of faith for me and eventually (not right away) fan it into a flame of happiness and full confidence.

O how glad I am that the thing that makes Almighty God happiest is doing good for you and me!

(taken from Desiring God's daily devotional)

Truth be told, in the midst of trial, one of the hardest things for me to wrap my mind around is the aspect of God's character that He is good and does good. There are days when the fight of my heart is to just believe that simple truth. A friend sent this excerpt to me this morning and it was the perfect encouragement in the midst of the fight. 

This simple truth that "God has always been faithful to guard that little spark of faith" brought me to tears. Because some days that faith feels small, fragile, and weak, but the more I saturate myself in the truth of who God is, the more I am given strength in the fight. 

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery

In oceans deep

My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

Oceans-Hillsong