August 19, 2026 Devo

Our verse today is a sweet prophecy about how happy the people will be when their exile is over. The Lord is reminding them that days of darkness and pain don’t last forever. Neither do days of punishment. One day, they’ll be back in Israel again. One day, they’ll be able to return to their homes, return to their jobs, and return to their Temple. One day, their heavy hearts will be light and joyful. When all those blessings occur, they will be able to sing, “Give thanks to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, for the LORD is good. His faithful love endures forever!”
But as I read the passage, a thought hit me. Anyone can praise God when there’s been a remarkable turn of events. Of course, people who have been set free believe that God is a God of deliverance. Certainly, people who have had their homes and lands returned can praise God with thankful hearts. It only makes sense that people who are marching OUT of their time of discipline are declaring that “the LORD is good and His faithful love endures forever!” But I wondered as I read this if any people believed in the faithfulness and love of God enough to declare this while they’re being marched INTO exile?
This hit me really hard. I thank God all the time for His blessings. I thank Him for His interventions and His times of protection. I praise Him for His answers to prayers. But it’s almost always a RESPONSE to what He’s done, not a declaration of faith as to what He’s going to do. It made me ask myself, “Do I truly believe God is good…even when my world gets turned upside down?” “Am I confident of His faithful love…even when I’m suffering the consequences of my sins or failures?” “Do I give thanks for WHO GOD IS or only for the good things God does?” You see, I always praise Him when I’m walking into the light of His blessing. But do I have enough faith in Him to praise Him when I’m walking into the shadows of suffering?
The Lord is worthy of our praise. He is a faithful and loving God. And that is true regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in or the difficulty of what we’re going through. So if you’re going through a hard time, praise Him. If you’ve been fighting through a struggle that has taken every ounce of your strength, thank Him for His relentless faithfulness. If you’ve experienced a loss that has broken your heart and taken your breath away, declare today that the Lord is GOOD. Anyone can praise God for what He does. Only people of faith who know the Lord can praise Him for who He is. Don’t wait for the days of blessings. Sing your praise to the Lord NOW. That’s God’s Word for you today.