Psalm 27:13,14

One day a dear friend of mine had been reading his Bible and read a passage that stood out to him.  Later he  shared it with me in hopes that it would be encouraging to me.  It certainly was, too, and I often look back on it in the times when it is especially hard to be strong and have courage while I wait for what God has.  The  verse he gave me was Psalm 27:13 and goes like this - "I would have lost heart , unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  Psalm 27 could be called "an exuberant declaration of David" because in it he questions how it could be possible to be afraid when the Lord is his strength and light.  He confidently proclaims in the chapter that God will set him on a high rock and protect him in the shadow of His wings no matter what enemy may come against him.  David also speaks of the one thing he desires and seeks and that is to "dwell in the house of the Lord" all the days of his life, meaning his one striving was to spend time in the temple, pray constantly and live a life pleasing to the Lord while being in His presence always.  Verse 14 goes on to say, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!".  I know David has his ups and downs but when it came down to it his faith and heart for God were so great that he could overcome anything.  And God wants that same thing for us and so often I feel as though the smallest obstacles get in the way of my attitude, joy and faith.  I have been having a hard time being back at school - I miss my family, running is hard and I'm struggling with waiting on God concerning someone I care about very much.  He was the one who gave me the verse, actually.   But if David had enemies against him all the time, of which he usually seems very grieved about in the Word, and HE had hope in God, then I won't lose heart either.  Because even though I may not feel very strong now, I know that God never gives us anything too big and He will give me strength and courage to rise to the occasion He has set before me.  I will strive to seek God every day and dwell in His house all the days of my life, too, because that is of course the best place to be : )