I’ve lived long enough to see people chasing after things that bring no lasting joy. I’ve seen what the world has to offer that vanishes quickly like a vapor. I’ve seen people put their hopes in things that are so very temporary, and that quickly lose their appeal. I’ve seen people spend their God-given income on things that lasted no longer than the mere pleasure for the moment, and then it was fleeting and left them empty, hungry for meaning, and desperately longing in their souls.
What is lasting in life, are God-inspired dreams and goals of knowing Him in ways that transcend this mortal life, and tapping into an eternal realm where His goodness never ends.
There are heavenly places that our earthly souls can experience. Psalm 16 says that in His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. David wrote these words centuries ago, and He knew something that we can also know now. When we make it our aim to live a life that is full of the greatness and goodness of God, it certainly can be so.
Stop and ask the Lord right now to open your heart to the great things that you can experience in this world and beyond. Ask Him to help you apprehend a knowledge of Him that goes beyond your present understanding. He can give you divine revelation of His goodness. And He can give you such a measure of the fullness of His presence, that you will not have lack, but instead, reap a bountiful harvest of His goodness in your soul.
When I stop to think of the greatness of God and all that He has for us, I realize that it’s profoundly different from how the world views success. Because I used to understand it that way too. But there is a more accurate way. The following list are things that the Spirit of God can give when we desire to live a life full of the goodness of God, and when we aspire to all His greatness.
Some of the greatest blessings are the simplest:
1—Hearing the Still Small Voice of the Holy Spirit—I cannot think of anything greater than to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He guides us, and gives us direction on every detail of our lives. He gives us sound wisdom, gratitude, and peace.
2—Enjoying His Peace and His Presence Every Day—It’s very true that God inhabits the praises of His people. So, that means that His presence can live where we praise Him. When this happens, we have constant connection with Him, which ushers in His very presence, which is like a guest in our midst that we make welcome. And the Bible says that, “He Himself is our Peace,” (Ephesians 2:14, ESV). This is certainly a great benefit of our everyday lives.
3—Knowing His Love in Tangible Ways—When we recognize that He is with us, we can feel His love for us. When we see the way that He orchestrates things on our behalf, we can’t help but to recognize His great love for us, and that causes us to love Him even more. To know and to have a God who knows us personally, and who has designed His relationship with us in such a way as to maintain that connection with us, is something beyond great. When the God of the universe takes notice of exactly who we are and what we have need of, that is incredibly humbling. We bow to worship a great God like that, all the more.
4—Seeing His Beauty and His Goodness—All of creation reflects the glory of a Creator who is majestic in all His splendor. His light shines, and His beauty is reflected everywhere. His very countenance is reflected in the beauty of the souls He has created to carry His likeness and His very greatness. When we recognize, identify and cherish the beautiful ways in which His goodness shines through, then understanding the fullness of who He is, is inescapable.
There are many desires in the hearts of men and women in these modern days, but only the desires that are from God that are truly great. When God directs people to His righteous plan, the plans are great. When He imparts a vision and a plan, it will be great. When people follow after His heart and what matters to Him, they begin to understand all the goodness of His greatness.
Prayer: “Father, we adore who you are. We give our praise to you today. And oh, God, we ask that you would fill us with the power of your Holy Spirit, so that we might know and understand all the fullness of the measure of your greatness and goodness. And oh, Lord, we ask that you would have us to aspire to greatness. Lord, that we would not slack in doing good. Lord, that we would not stay silent. Lord, that we would not fold our hands. Lord, that our time will be well spent. Lord, that we would hear your heart and the good work that you would have us to do. Put our hands to the plow, oh God, and put our minds in gear. Help us to reach the goals that you have in mind for your kingdom, and help us to stay focused so that your kingdom would come and your will would be done, until all have heard and know. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Article Written by: Debbie Harper, Ph.D.
