Who’s hounding you lately? Is your boss bugging you for that report? Is your mom following you around with an armload of dirty laundry? Is a certain somebody not taking a hint when you don’t text back?

Or maybe what hounds you is far worse. Maybe depression nips at your heels. Maybe age or illness or temptation is panting just over your shoulder and all you feel is bone-deep weary.

But turn around. Open your faith-filled eyes and take a second look. What’s hounding you? 

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

The verb follow in Hebrew could be translated here as “hound.” What’s hounding you? God’s goodness and mercy, that’s what. The twin hounds of his goodness and love pursue you relentlessly, even on days when you ignore or forget them. These loyal companions accompany you down every road—down Stressful Street and Heartache Highway and Weary Lane. And when life’s challenges have you cornered with seemingly no way out, Goodness and Love are there holding your real enemies at bay, not Mom armed with your smelly socks but Satan and his henchmen, Sin and Death. 

When hard things hound you, turn around. There at your heels is God’s goodness. His mercy. His cross. Especially his cross. On that wooden cross, Goodness rescued you. Love forgave you. Satan was disarmed. And heaven’s doors were opened wide so that you can dwell in God’s house forever.