I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

I am reading through the Bible this year, and Psalm 27 was part of one of my morning devotionals. This could have been my mantra for the last five years.

When I was growing up, being a Christian somehow became a destination-focused lifestyle. We were supposed to have faith, be baptized, believe in Jesus, so that we could go to heaven someday. It wasn’t until years after my own baptism that I was challenged with the thought that the Kingdom that Jesus was talking about was actually here among us. That redemption and salvation were active in the here and now.

It was something that became clear in the last five years. Going through pregnancy loss with no answers is a walk in the darkness. There were days I struggled to wrap my head around God’s goodness in the details. I was much more comfortable with the big picture, that everything would be redeemed (that I would see my daughters again) in heaven.

But there were things being redeemed here. Hearts being reached, touched, and healed through love and conversations. Faith being strengthened to withstand the Devil’s schemes. Love being poured out when it felt like there was nothing left to give. I was more overwhelmed by the love I received than by any of the grief I endured. And at this point in the journey, I come across this encouraging verse. Something I can hold on to and remember what God has already done so I can have faith in what he will do again and again in this world.

God’s goodness is coming. Be strong and take heart.