Finding Goodness and Mercy in a Life Following Jesus

Have you ever wondered what it means to truly follow Jesus? What does a life filled with God's goodness and mercy actually look like? Recently, I was reminded of this through a powerful encounter with a man named Terry.

As a chaplain for the Surprise Fire Department, I was called to pray for a man who was being taken off life support. Before arriving at the hospital, I made some calls to learn about him. What struck me most was that everyone I spoke with first mentioned how much Terry loved the Lord. He had volunteered for over two decades helping people in crisis situations, lost his wife to COVID but found love again, and lived a life so clearly marked by faith that those who knew him immediately identified him as a devoted follower of Jesus.

This man's life embodied what we find in Psalm 23:6: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

What Does It Mean to Be Followed by Goodness and Mercy?

Followship to Jesus is a life filled with the Lord's goodness, filled with His mercy, and filled with His promises that sustain us through all of life. This is the fruit that comes from following the path God sets before us.

We all naturally desire goodness. Think about it - why do people move to new cities, change jobs, or try new diets? Because they believe these changes will be "good" for them. We're wired to pursue what we think will give us "the good life."

Similarly, we crave mercy - which in Hebrew is "hesed," often translated as God's steadfast love. We resonate deeply with phrases like "I've got your back," "We'll get through this together," or "I'm proud of you." These expressions of steadfast love meet a fundamental human need.

But here's the key: God's goodness and mercy are vastly better than anything we would choose for ourselves. His version of good might look different than what we would pick, but we can rest assured that God's goodness is best.

How Do We Recognize God's Goodness and Mercy?

God's goodness appears in our lives as:

• Unexpected provision when we're in need

• Correction when we're heading in the wrong direction

• Strength to endure trials rather than escape them

His steadfast love shows up as:

• Forgiveness we didn't earn

• Opportunities we didn't deserve

• Faithful presence even when we've failed

These aren't circumstantial - they're the active presence of God's character being revealed in everyday life. And remarkably, God extends this goodness and mercy to both sinners and saints, though believers should be more aware of it.

Why Don't We Always See God's Goodness?

If you don't see God's goodness and mercy in your life, it could be one of two problems:

• A vision problem - You're not looking for God's goodness, so you're missing it. As my godmom used to tell me during my depression: "The more good you see, the more good you see, and the more bad you see, the more bad you'll see." We move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts.

• A followship problem - You're not truly following the Shepherd.

The Certainty of Christ's Care

David doesn't just mention goodness and mercy - he anchors them in confidence: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

What made him so certain? Look at the preceding verses:

• Verse 1: David lives in total submission to the Shepherd

• Verse 2: He feeds and rests in the Lord's provision

• Verse 3: His life is characterized by repentance and holiness

• Verse 4: He has courage and comfort in the middle of valleys

• Verse 5: He trusts in the presence and protection of the Good Shepherd

Because of all this, David can confidently say that goodness and mercy will follow him all his days. The promise of verse 6 is conditional - goodness and mercy are the fruit of a life surrendered to the Shepherd.

How to Evaluate Your Life Using Psalm 23

Do you see goodness and mercy in your marriage, parenting, finances, or work? If not, use Psalm 23 as a litmus test:

• Are you allowing the Lord's leadership to influence your leadership?

• Are you seeking the Lord's provision in how you parent?

• Are you leaning on Him during hardships?

• Are there areas of your life that need restoration?

The secret to living out verses 1-5 is simple: Don't take your eyes off the Good Shepherd.

Goodness and mercy follow one path only - the path of the Good Shepherd. If we deviate thinking we know better, we'll miss what we're pursuing. It's like using GPS - I've learned two things: I'll always arrive faster than it predicts, and I never know a better route than what it suggests.

The Danger of Using Jesus as a Means to an End

We can't use verses 1-5 as a means to an end - following Jesus to get a better marriage, financial security, or a happier life. If you use Jesus as a means to an end and don't get what you hoped for, you'll discount Jesus altogether.

While following Jesus may indeed improve these areas of your life, that cannot be your motivation for following Him. A broken marriage or difficult circumstances might bring you to Jesus, but don't stay close to Him only as long as things are improving.

The true byproduct of following Jesus isn't that your circumstances change, but that you do. You become more like Him.

Living in the House of the Lord Forever

"And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." This speaks to both identity and residence. As children of God, we belong to His household - that's our identity. And heaven is our ultimate residence.

While we await our heavenly home, we're called to be ambassadors of God's kingdom. We're to "live out the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment" - sharing the good news of Jesus while loving others as we would want to be loved.

The beauty is that even now, we can experience closeness with God through prayer, Scripture, and the church. These disciplines give us access to the Good Shepherd while we wait for His return. As Alistair Begg said, "Heaven is not just a destination, it's a motivation." We live differently now because we know where we're headed.

Life Application

Are you experiencing God's goodness and mercy in your life today? Are you aware of His steadfast love for you?

If yes, your responsibility is clear: live as an ambassador of Christ until He returns. Share the gospel and love others as Jesus commanded.

If not, ask yourself: Are your eyes on the Good Shepherd? Are you truly following Jesus?

The good news is that you can start today. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Questions to consider this week:

• In what areas of my life am I struggling to see God's goodness and mercy?

• Am I using Jesus as a means to an end, or am I following Him regardless of circumstances?

• How can I be a better ambassador for Christ's kingdom this week?

• What specific disciplines (prayer, Scripture, church community) can I strengthen to experience more closeness with the Good Shepherd?

There is a way to live a life so filled with God's goodness and steadfast love that at the end, like Terry, we can confidently say, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."