A GLORIOUS INVITATION

by Nicole Byrum

There is rest in the goodness of the Lord my God…

Those are lyrics from one of my favorite songs, Abundantly More, by North Point Worship. Without question, we are all in need of rest for one reason or another. But how often do we seek the source of rest in the goodness of our God? More times than I would like to admit, I have leaned on convenient go-to’s such as movie watching, phone scrolling, or some other form of entertainment to find rest. While these means may entertain or even relax me, they certainly do not satisfy my soul. Only the goodness of God can do that.

In Psalm 34:8 David wrote, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” I love that he used the word “taste” to appeal to our senses in order to bring this idea right where it belongs- to a personal level. In a physical sense, tasting is very personal, for nobody else can “taste” for me, I have to do that for myself. The same is true in our relationship with God. It is deeply personal, and we must taste Him for ourselves. Amazingly, the Creator of the Universe invites us to know His goodness personally! Blessings and refuge abound when we accept this invitation.

In the writing of this, I reflected on the ways I have tasted the goodness of God in my life. As memories and images flashed through my mind, it became apparent that I could see His goodness unfold in four main waysthrough beauty, relationships, faithful direction, and in the midst of suffering. FAITH ON EVERY CORNER 16 | MAGAZINE NAME FAITH ON EVERY CORNER

Our God is a God of beauty and His work is displayed throughout the universe! I haven’t seen the earth or heavens in their entirety of course, but here is what I have seen: brilliant sunrises and sunsets, majestic mountains, the glory of autumn leaves, glistening waters and crashing waves, carefully crafted canyons and waterfalls, white sandy beaches, and still forests... to name a few. I have also seen intricately designed insects as well as lions, giraffes, and graceful deer. But more than those, I have seen the goodness of God displayed in the beauty of the faces of my children.

God’s goodness has also been evident through the gift of the people He has given me to love in this world. My husband and children are precious gifts, and I thank God for them every day. His goodness was also poured out in the giving of my own family of origin as well as my husband’s. These are the best people I know. And although I do not have siblings, God has graciously provided wonderful friends throughout my life; friends I share childhood memories with and friends who have entered my life at various stages of adulthood. They have all been some of my greatest treasures, and I am beyond grateful for these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Throughout my life, God has shown goodness by faithfully directing my paths. As I think about key decisions- college, grad school, and jobs- I see His hand gently guiding me into the right places at the right times, all for His purposes. I love that His plans have been far bigger than I could ever have imagined for myself.

And yet, the goodness of God also shows up in the midst of hurt, loss, and pain. He has resided with me in times of relationship turmoil, discouragement, fear, and confusion. In times of grief, loss, and sorrow, I have felt His peace; beautiful peace which passes all understanding. In these valleys of life, He has never failed to comfort me with His Spirit and Truth. Indeed, His goodness shines brightest in the darkness.

Without fail, every time I shift my focus to the goodness of the God who loves me, I find rest for my soul. Every. Single. Time. Remarkably, this rest is available to us any time of the week, any minute of the day. The God who created us graciously calls us to taste and see that He is good- and in doing so, we find our rest in Him.

Have you tasted that the Lord is good? I pray you will accept the invitation to do so, for it is the best invite imaginable. I promise you won’t regret it.

I am a therapist and writer who is passionate about family, faith, and recovery. I am the author of Remade: Living Free, a book that explores topics related to substance abuse, recovery, and unhealthy relationships from a biblical perspective.

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