Made To Be Good, Not Just Feel Good - Encouragement for Today - November 4, 2025

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November 4, 2025

Made To Be Good, Not Just Feel Good
MEREDITH BROCK

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“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope …” Psalm 130:5 (ESV)

The challenges kept coming. Just when I thought I was recovering and getting back up on my feet after one hardship, another difficulty would come crashing in and send me right back to my knees.

Financial insecurity.
Relational stress.
Struggling children.
Professional uncertainty.
Illness.

I couldn’t catch my breath. There wasn’t a direction I could look and find peace, abundant life, or the provision I felt God had promised me.

These struggles aren’t unique, and the urge to give up when everything feels overwhelming is something we all experience. So what do we do when we want to quit? When we feel like we’re in over our heads and our emotions are screaming, You are never going to make it through this?

Personally, I like to take the easiest route. A venting call with a friend helps for a moment. Or I’ll try out the latest productivity hack that will pull my head above water for a couple of days. I might even get really disciplined and go for a “30-Day Reset” plan I saw online, which sometimes gives me a few weeks of reprieve.

But honestly, none of these tricks brings lasting change.

The only place I have found true strength and hope to carry me through the toughest of days is in the promises of our all-knowing, all-powerful God.

Maybe today you’re facing impossibilities like I am, and maybe your feelings are screaming at you to lie down and quit. Let me remind you of what God promises in His holy, perfect Word. He promises He will …

• Give you eternal life in Christ (John 5:24).
• Love you forever (Psalm 136).
• Make you more like Him through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).
• Give you peace (Philippians 4:6-7).
• Work all things out for good (Romans 8:28).

And so much more.

Those are good promises, but I want to take a step back and see something that’s not promised. In all the words of the Bible, God doesn’t promise a comfortable, easy life on earth, and He doesn’t promise to give us all we want.

What He promises is to give us His enduring love and to work all things out for good. It’s not that things always feel good, but they will be good … There’s a big difference. To be good is to be like Christ, displaying the fruit of the Spirit. Feeling good comes and goes; being good lasts forever.

The challenges I’m facing haven’t changed. Even as I write this, I’m tempted to give up. But Psalm 130:5 tells me what to do: “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope …”

Today, instead of just venting to a friend or trying another productivity hack, I’m choosing to believe God's Word instead of my feelings. I'm letting Him use the waiting to make me good, not just comfortable.

Lord, in my waiting, help me trust Your Word more than my feelings. Make me more like You, even when it’s hard. I choose to hope in You today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

For every broken place, chaotic day, and weary heart, there’s good news: Jesus came so we don’t have to carry it all alone. During busy seasons, the pressure to make everything perfect only adds to the weight of endless to-do lists. If you find yourself longing for peace in this season, More Than a Manger: An Advent Study is your reminder that peace isn’t found in the absence of chaos — it’s found in the presence of Christ, who calms every storm. Advent begins November 30, so order your study guide today, and let’s make room for Him together.

ENGAGE

Connect with today’s devotion writer, Meredith Brock, on Instagram!

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (ESV).

Philippians 4:6-7, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (ESV).

Are you seeking temporary relief or allowing God to use this challenging season to make you more like Christ?

Where are you tempted to give up instead of waiting on God and trusting His promises? What promise from God’s Word will you cling to today?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

© 2025 by Meredith Brock. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org