Waking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness

by Susie Larson

For those who have been disappointed when the "good life" let them down or discouraged by life's struggles, the goodness of God is trustworthy, life-giving, and everlasting. Jesus wants to lead you on a healing path to redeem your story and to make you whole.

The words we say and the things we pray matter to God and to our health. Where we rest our gaze and how we think about God directly impacts the condition of our souls. Proverbs 14:30 states, "A heart at peace gives life to the body." God is well able to restore and renew us even when culture swirls around us. The world needs healing. But we can't impart what we don't possess. 

Scripture highlights the significance of 40 days as a kind of pilgrimage or spiritual journey toward a deeper dependence and reliance upon God. Science highlights how 40 days of practice (of a habit, a renewed thought, a healthy discipline, etc.) directly impacts our brain's structure and physiological health.

Join best-selling author, popular radio host, and Bible teacher Susie Larson on a 40-day pilgrimage to explore God's invitation to flourish, heal, and know His peace in a way that changes us forever. Through this journey, readers will discover how

Retrain their brains and renew their minds to notice God's goodness and to make that their default settingRevive their faith by immersing in God’s promises, saying and praying them more than everRestore a right view of God's character based on His Word and stop drawing wrong conclusions about HimRedeem their story and renew their strength by following the Healer 

Do you still believe God is good? Do you believe He cares about the condition of your soul? And that He still answers prayer? Are you ready to position yourself on the path of His promises and see what He might do in and through you?

Genres: Faith, Devotional, Nonfiction, Self Help, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction, Christian Living

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2024

About the author

Susie Larson is a popular radio talk show host, national speaker, and bestselling author. The author of twenty-two books, Susie is also a veteran in the fitness field and has twice been voted a top-ten finalist for the John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award. Susie and her husband live near Minneapolis with their three sons, three daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. Susie’s passion is to see people everywhere awakened to the value of their soul, the depth of God’s love, and the height of their calling in Christ Jesus.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness by Susie Larson Review

Waking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness by Susie Larson is a heartfelt Christian devotional and spiritual growth book designed as a 40‑day pilgrimage toward deeper faith, healing, and joy in the character of God. Centered on the idea that Scripture repeatedly uses forty days to symbolize a journey of transformation, Larson invites readers to retrain their minds to notice God’s goodness in everyday life, renew their relationship with God’s promises through prayer and Scripture, and restore a right view of God’s nature based on His Word rather than cultural or personal disappointments. The devotional focuses on practical reflections, daily prayers, and faith declarations that are intended to help readers break patterns of fear and discouragement, embrace peace, and experience emotional and spiritual renewal. Its structure encourages positioning one’s heart and mind toward God’s goodness so that healing and wholeness can unfold over time.

What resonated with me most about this book is its gentle yet purposeful rhythm of hope and healing: the daily reflections feel like sitting down with a wise friend who genuinely wants you to see how deeply God cares for your soul, even when life has felt heavy or disappointing. Larson’s approach blends biblical truths (like the significance of a heart at peace bringing life to the body, drawn from Proverbs) with relatable encouragement that your gaze, thoughts, and prayers shape your inner life. I especially appreciated how each day’s reading includes a practical prompt or affirmation that invites you to reflect, pray, and cultivate peace in ways that feel both spiritually enriching and emotionally grounding. While this is devotional rather than narrative, the way Larson uses Scripture, prayer, and gentle reflection made the experience feel deeply personal and restorative.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Because its gentle daily structure, heartfelt scriptural grounding, and invitation to see God’s goodness everywhere made this a profoundly uplifting and healing devotional experience.

[Emily McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susie is a wonderful writer and speaker and the Lord used her to speak truth to our lives. Waking up to the Goodness of God awakens your souls to the deeper healing and wholeness God has for you. The faith declarations and brain retrains provided at the end of every chapter give you nuggets of God truth you can easily remember and take with you throughout your day.

[Abby Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of, if not THE, best devotional books I’ve gone through.

[Astrida · Rating 5 out of 5]

The words and prayers in this book really helped me when I felt like I was never going to get better. It greatly helped with my prayer life and finding the right words to express myself. I know I will be re-reading this over again.

[Dorothy Nordgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waking up to the Goodness of God,
by Susie Larson

This devotional is so timely. It’s the middle of winter, the days are short, the news is bad, people are sick, and many are hurting. But what if we had a Faith Declaration that could retrain our brain and give us another perspective on this God-given day!
What great encouragement. Susie Larson has provided personally tested tools—heartfelt words and scripture to speak truth over our lives.
You will be different if you take time to read this devotional. It is such a wonderful gift to wake up to God’s Goodness.

Dorothy Nordgren

[Sharon Gluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a parched and thirsty soul this book is a tall drink of cool water. For someone who thinks they are healthy, there may yet be layers of hurt that remain to be healed. The enemy plants teeny lies in our spirits and we don’t even know they are there. And yet, if we ask God to reveal the truth, and show us the lies we are believing about Him, He is faithful to tenderly and compassionately answer our prayers. God is good. There is healing yet to be had. Susie Larson’s truths in this book will tend to your heart and souls.

[Sarah Saldin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was perfect for my morning routine. Each chapter was rich with prayers, insight, and encouragement from Susie, Bible prompts, and space for journaling. Susie‘s words will encourage and inspire you deeply. This has been a perfect book for where I am at in my life. She understands deep suffering, and yet offers abundant encouragement. Your faith will be ignited and enlarged. I hope Susie does a sequel to this devotional as I will miss using it each morning.

[Kim Harms · Rating 5 out of 5]

I underlined so many things in this book, and I'm going to immediately read it again. Suzie's words have been incredibly helpful in my pursuit to remain hope-filled and expectant while also trying to be content in the waiting and walking through chronic health issues; both mine and those of people I love very much. A phrase that I have taken from the book and repeat to myself daily is "Lord show me what I believe and tell me what's true." Highly Recommend this one.

[Whitney L. Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad It's Over

I really enjoyed this devotional. While Larson doesn't make her chronic illness a major part of this devotional, as someone with chronic illness myself, I can very much relate to most (if not everything!) she's written here. I actually looked forward to reading this devotional every day and am actually kinda sad it's over.

[Jett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an honest and earnest guide for right now. Susie provides 40 days of encouragement that will stick with readers as they read the scriptures she references and along with her own personal struggles and triumphs.

[Brenda Klaassen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book to use each day to reflect and grow. The author did a wonderful job of asking the right questions to allow me to reflect. This is a book that I will use multiple times during my life.

[Michelle Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the insight in this book. I read a chapter a day and every day the subject was something I needed to hear that really spoke to my spirit and heart. I'll be re-reading this book often as I'm sure I will continue to get more new revelation every time.

[Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book. Each day’s devotional starts with a prayer and ends with a space for you to reflect on what you have read. Each day helps you to move from “bracing for impact” to “living with expectancy of the goodness of God”. It definitely changed my walk with God.

[Betty Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worked through this 40 day devotional along with a couple of friends.
Really helped me shift my perspective this summer to focusing on God’s goodness even in some hard situations.

[Becca Haney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed working my way through these daily readings! So many short and simple nuggets of truth and encouragement. This is sure to be one that I revisit soon!

[Melynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best use of a 40 day journey. Susie speaks words that touch my soul and leads me closer to God.

[Karen Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

so very good. so inspiring and encouraging

[Mandy Dawson Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent. when I finished it, I wanted to go back to the beginning and start again. I may still do that.

[Monica Randeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite devotionals. I've gone through it twice and will probably do it again.

[KWink]

She and I are not always on the same page, but it was good to be reminded of God’s goodness

A book I intend to return to later

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing and I will be reading it again. I started reading it as a library book, but then purchased it, as there is a place to write notes of application each day.

[Jaime Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gifted by my mom and really did transform my thinking. It was like it was written specifically for me. I will be rereading it a lot.

[Jennie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am rereading this one. The words are encouraging, the verses are great, the saying statements out loud is a great practice for me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite devotional of 2024. It is filled with hopeful moments, beautiful stories, lovely metaphors, and hard-won encouragement. It's a perfect read for springtime too.