Good and Hard Run on Parallel Tracks

When I read this quote by John Woodall, it hit me like a freight train (pardon the pun)…

“Good and hard run on parallel tracks.”

Oftentimes, we can find ourselves in hard places, right? From less than ideal circumstances to life altering events, life can dish out hard on a daily basis and it can put us in rather uncomfortable places.

But did you know, there is always good to be found … even in the hard.

Sometimes it’s harder than others to find the good in the hard, but when you look for it (or more importantly, when you look for God, you’ll find Him), and you’ll realize the good has been there all along, waiting to be noticed, waiting to be the focus.

The good is God. He is good … even in the hard.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” ~ Jeremiah 29:13

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” ~ Psalm 118:1

Sometimes, we have to just glance over to the track beside us. Get our eyes off the heartache, pain, or loss of the hard, and ask God to help us gaze upon the blessing, benefit, and purpose of the good.

It’s in the hard and maybe even harrowing times, God oftentimes, will highlight the good. Several of the psalms are referred to as “miktams” and were penned by David when the perils he faced threatened to overtake him. David wrestled with the whys of those hard times, but through his words, we watch his faith arise as the light of the miraculous deliverance defeated the darkness of despair.

The whole meaning of the word “miktam” is not just a scary remembrance. It does not merely focus on the hard. It actually highlights the good. It literally means “engraving” and spiritually it refers to a time when the dark setting of the dangerous experience serves only to highlight the bright jewel of the love of God manifested in the miraculous deliverance. Therefore, the whole episode is remembered not as a traumatic event (HARD), but as a golden demonstration of the faithfulness, love, and power of God in the wondrous escape (GOOD). As such, it becomes one of our most precious “memories of grace,” forever engraved on our heart.

Good often manifests the lessons we allow ourselves to learn in the hard, the people who journey with us in the hard, and the fact that the hard didn’t take us down, and because of proper perspective and gratitude, the good was found.

Still having a hard time seeing the good? Psalm 118 is a great place to start! It begins and ends with the same verse — like seriously the verbatim! How cool is that?!? All twenty-nine verses are full of sweet reminders that God is holding us together with His faithful promises, just like those bookend verses, much like parallel tracks, hold Psalm 118s rich truths together.

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Let Israel say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”

5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
    the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
    What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;
    I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees;
    they went out like a fire among thorns;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
    but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
    are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
16     the right hand of the Lord exalts,
    the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
    and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
    the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord's doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
    O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
    up to the horns of the altar!

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalms 118:1 and Psalm 118:29