Can You See the Good? | Pastor Brandon Barber

Devotional

Day 1: When God Makes You Lie Down

Life’s sudden stops—like torn hamstrings mid-sprint—reveal God’s gentle insistence on rest. Psalm 23 says God “makes me lie down,” not as punishment but to redirect our frantic energy. Even in chaos, His green pastures and quiet waters aren’t distant ideals but present realities. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s trusting the Shepherd who sees beyond our hurry. What feels like interruption might be divine invitation. [06:25]

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God asking you to stop striving today? What would it look like to let Him restore your soul instead of pushing through?

Day 2: Shadows Don’t Define the Story

A shadow only exists because light is near. David called life’s darkest moments “the valley of the shadow of death”—a temporary silhouette, not the substance. Fear magnifies problems, but God’s presence shrinks them to their true size. The enemy wants you fixated on the shadow; God wants you anchored in His nearness. Goodness chases you even here. [14:15]

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4, ESV)

Reflection: What “shadow” are you magnifying right now? How would acknowledging God’s presence shift your perspective?

Day 3: God of the Valleys, Not Just the Hills

The Syrians thought Israel’s God ruled only the high places (1 Kings 20:23). They were wrong. Valleys—where battles feel unwinnable—are where God proves He’s unstoppable. Your lowest moment isn’t a sign of His absence but a stage for His power. Don’t let the enemy convince you valleys are Godless. His goodness fights for you there. [26:13]

The man of God came near and said, “Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said, ‘The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,’ I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” (1 Kings 20:28, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you assumed God can’t meet you? How might this valley become a testimony of His faithfulness?

Day 4: The Ram Was Already Moving

Abraham found a ram caught in a thicket because God had already set it in motion (Genesis 22:13). The doctor “happening” to walk by during a crisis wasn’t luck—it was grace in motion. God’s solutions often approach before we sense the problem. Your miracle isn’t late; it’s en route. Trust the One who’s always ahead of your need. [30:59]

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide.” (Genesis 22:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What situation feels hopeless? How might God already be moving toward you unseen?

Day 5: Eternal Goodness Starts Today

Psalm 23 ends with “dwell in the house of the Lord forever”—not just a heavenly destination but a daily orientation. Eternal life isn’t a future reward; it’s a present reality for those who live rooted in Christ. The “house” isn’t a building but a posture: choosing His ways now shapes where you’ll stand then. Don’t trade temporary shadows for everlasting light. [33:04]

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6, ESV)

Reflection: What daily choice aligns you with eternity? How does living for God’s “house” change how you handle today’s struggles?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 23 sets the whole thing in front of the church with a simple question: can the good be seen? David writes from the place of a man who has lived long enough to look back and say the Lord was shepherding the whole time. The text does not just say God is good in a general way. Psalm 23 stacks promise on promise and says God brings provision, rest, peace, restoration, guidance, protection, honor, blessing, lifelong goodness, and an eternal home.

The word “surely” changes the feel of the whole verse when it is heard as “only” or “nothing but.” Psalm 23 is saying, “Nothing but goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.” That does not mean every day feels easy. The valley still shows up, the shadow still stretches across the ground, and enemies still sit close enough to be in the room. But the shadow only gives the appearance that something is bigger than it really is.

God calls His people to see the good that is already in front of them. A bad play, a wrong decision, a hard report, or a stressful season can get so loud that the blessing right there gets missed. David’s language says God sometimes “makes” His sheep lie down because before He makes, He lets. God may let a person run long enough in control, sin, fear, or exhaustion until the breaking point opens the eyes again to His goodness.

The table in Psalm 23 shows that God sets the scene, but the believer must decide who sits at it. The wrong voices keep speaking to the shadow. The right voices help call out what God is doing. Colossians 3:17 gives freedom there too: whatever is done in word or deed can be done in the name of Jesus. God is good enough to give options, and as Jesus stays at the center, blessing does not stop chasing.

First Kings 20 proves that the Lord is not just the God of the hills. The enemy thought Israel could be beaten in the valley, but God said He would show Himself there too. The valley does not scare God. The same goodness that stands on the mountain walks through the low place.

Psalm 23 ends where everything has to end: the house of the Lord forever. Earthly goodness is beautiful, but it is worth nothing if God’s house is missed. Jesus did not die to be in the top three. He died to be number one, to come into the house of the heart, wash sin clean, and bring His people home.

Key Takeaways

1. Goodness has to be seen God’s goodness can be right in front of a person and still be missed when fear, stress, and negativity become the loudest voices in the room. The shadow of trouble can make something look bigger than it really is, but the shadow is not the substance. Psalm 23 trains the eye to look again and ask whether God has already placed good in the very place anxiety has been staring past. [14:15]
2. The valley cannot stop God The valley may come through a mistake, a bad report, a diagnosis, or a season that drains joy out of the soul. Psalm 23 does not say goodness follows only on the hilltops, and First Kings 20 shows that God is just as much Lord in the low place. The enemy may think the valley is the perfect place to take someone out, but God uses that same ground to prove He is still fighting. [26:13]
3. God may let before He makes The phrase “He makes me lie down” carries mercy, not cruelty. God may let a person run in control, disobedience, or exhaustion until the running finally exposes the need for rest. The making is not rejection, but rescue, because the Shepherd knows when a soul has forgotten how to stop and see the good again. [17:17]
4. God moves before the miracle God’s help is not limited to the moment a need becomes obvious. Like the ram already coming up the other side of the mountain, the answer can be moving before the crisis is even understood. The believer may discover later that God had already arranged mercy in hallways, timing, and details that looked ordinary until the miracle was needed. [28:53]
5. Do not miss God’s house Psalm 23 does not end with comfort on earth only, but with dwelling in the house of the Lord forever. The goodness of God is not meant to become decoration around a life that keeps Jesus at the edges. Eternity makes the issue plain: Jesus did not die to be part of someone’s top three, but to be Lord of the whole house. [33:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:10] - Ham Ham and the Golf Cart
[04:45] - Psalm 23 and the Goodness of God
[07:30] - Nothing but Goodness
[08:24] - Can You See the Good?
[10:12] - Twelve Promises in Psalm 23
[12:12] - Seeing Good in Hard Seasons
[17:17] - When God Lets and Makes
[22:21] - Do Not Fear the Valley
[25:11] - God of Hills and Valleys
[28:07] - God Is Always Moving
[29:22] - A Miracle Already on the Way
[33:04] - Do Not Miss God’s House
[35:16] - Invitation to Come Home

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Psalm 23 (ESV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

1 Kings 20:23, 28 (ESV)
23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.”
28 And the man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”

Colossians 3:17 (ESV)
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Observation Questions

Psalm 23:6 uses the word “surely” (translated as “only” or “nothing but” in the sermon). What specific promises does this verse emphasize about God’s character and actions toward His people?
In 1 Kings 20:23, the enemy assumes God is limited to certain places. How does God respond to this assumption in verse 28?
The sermon lists twelve promises in Psalm 23 (e.g., provision, rest, peace). Which of these stand out most to you, and why? [10:12]
How does Colossians 3:17 connect to the idea of choosing “who sits at the table” in Psalm 23:5? [19:05]

Interpretation Questions

Why might David use the metaphor of a “shadow” to describe hardship in Psalm 23:4? How does this contrast with the reality of God’s presence? [14:15]
The sermon says, “Before [God] makes, He lets” (referring to Psalm 23:2). What does this imply about God’s patience and purpose in allowing seasons of struggle? [17:17]
In 1 Kings 20:28, God declares Himself Lord of both hills and valleys. How does this redefine our understanding of His authority in difficult circumstances?
How does the phrase “my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5) challenge common attitudes about scarcity or fear in daily life?

Application Questions

What “valley” are you walking through right now, and how can you actively remind yourself that God’s goodness is still present there? [26:13]
The sermon asks, “Can you see the good?” Identify one area of your life where negativity or anxiety has overshadowed God’s blessings. What practical step could help you refocus on His goodness this week? [14:15]
Colossians 3:17 encourages doing everything in Jesus’ name. What decision or habit in your life needs to be re-centered on Him to reflect this truth?
The sermon warns against letting “wrong voices” dominate your perspective. Who or what influences your thoughts most? How can you intentionally invite “right voices” to speak into your struggles? [19:26]
Psalm 23 ends with eternal hope. How might living with an eternal perspective change the way you respond to temporary hardships or distractions?
The sermon shares a story of God’s miracle arriving before the crisis was fully understood. When have you later realized God was already working in a situation you thought was hopeless? How can this memory strengthen your faith today? [28:53]
What would it look like to “prepare a table” (Psalm 23:5) in your current relationships or responsibilities, intentionally inviting God’s presence into those spaces?

Sermon Clips

69s

#JesusFirstAlways

“``He didn't die on the cross to be a part of your top three. He died to be number one in your life. There's some of you you've been playing a real man is a man of God. A man who talks right, a man who lives right, a man who's not clubbing on Tuesdays and worshiping on Sundays. A real woman is a woman of God. Get rid of the things in your life that you know you need to get rid of. Fight for your marriage. Fight for your family. Heaven is the end game. Yeah. Yeah. I promise you, you don't wanna miss God's house. Right. So I don't know who I'm talking to in the room and watching or at every campus, Woodlands campus, Katy campus, whoever I'm talking to. This is a moment for you. And can I tell you this bigger than I know I it sounds cheesy, but bigger than the World Cup? You think packing out a stadium with the World Cup is something, imagine the stadium of heaven. I wanted to shout you down. Say, come home.”

56s

#GodHadAMiracle

“I said, yes, sir. He said, my he said, I'm the only doctor on the on the floor today. My office is ten minute walk away. He said, I was walking in the hallway to go check on another patient. And he said, the nurses stepped out of the the the surgery door, and they saw me walking. They literally grabbed me and pulled me into the surgery to help your wife and your son. If I had not been on the way, you're You wouldn't have your wife or your son today. Brandon, can you see how good God is? And I don't know if you caught it, but I didn't even know that I need a miracle that day, but God already had a miracle on the way.”

54s

#DoItInJesusName

“Can I encourage you with something? Can I tell you that hopefully just free you a little bit? Colossians three seventeen says this, in whatever you do, word or deed, do it in the name of Jesus. I believe that there are moments that because of the goodness of God, he will give you options. And he says, hey, you don't need me to choose. You choose. And as long as you keep me the center of it, he says overflow will come in your life, and blessing and goodness will follow you all the days of your life. Stop freaking out about it. As Jesus is the center of it, you decide. That's the goodness of God. And if you make the wrong decision, does the goodness of God stop following you? No. It only gets greater and it gets stronger. You gotta see the good.”

61s

#EternityOverEarth

“this goodness that we're talking about is good for on earth, but it's worth nothing if you miss God's house. There's gonna come a moment for every single one of us. I'm gonna turn this and make it very personal right now. There's gonna come a moment for all of us where time clicks and eternity steps in. And based on how you live your life right here, you either walk into one or two houses, the house of God or the house of hell. And I don't know about you, but I wanna be eternity with my family, and I wanna be an eternity with all of you. But that's why it says in Psalms 23, it talks about living a life of righteousness. It all start if you all want the goodness of God in your life, it starts with the relationship with Jesus.”

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Can You See the Good? | Pastor Brandon Barber | Hope City