“God is good.”
This is a phrase we say and hear regularly, and it’s true, but usually only used when things are going well in a person’s life. However, when we say,
“God is being so good to me right now”
“God has been good to me”
“In this season of my life, God is good”
…there’s an emphasis on the situation that God is good at certain times, not always.
Does this mean that when things are not going well, God is not good? Has His goodness changed somehow?
God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8). God is always good. The world around us is not. The decisions that people make are often not. The sin in this world takes many forms and will affect us in many ways. Ways that are sometimes so unexplainable that we question God’s goodness–like a family member’s cancer, a close friend’s suicide, a loss of a job, an unforeseen tragedy.
But God is good, always.
If you believe in Jesus, struggles and temptation are a guarantee (1 Peter 1:6-7, Phil 4:11-13). But we shouldn’t be separating the goodness of God between the rough times and the sweet times.
Why is He good? How does He show His goodness?
He is good because no matter what happens in your life, if you believe in Him, He gives you a gift that far outweighs any suffering on this Earth (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). There is a lifetime free of illness, death, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, comparison and sin ahead of you waiting in heaven (Revelation 21:4). Heaven is an eternity of peace, fulfillment, love, joy, happiness, and perfection where our sufferings here will be restored. That’s the greatest free gift anyone could ever give! “And the free gift is not like the one man’s trespass. For if many died through one man’s sin, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” – Romans 5:15 Isn’t knowing that you will be in perfect peace because of Jesus, who loves you and is always good to you because of the freedom and grace he gives abundantly, enough to say God is good even when your present situation is not?
There are some days where all I have to look forward to is being with Jesus in heaven, and in those moments, no matter how much I or those around me may be hurting, I say to myself, God is Good. Because I know there is an end to our suffering. This is not our home, friends! (Hebrews 13:14) Our bodies are momentary vessels being used to show others what walking with Jesus is meant to look like. If we are only rejoicing when things are sweet, we do not show the comfort He can give in suffering or the contentment we can find in Him or how our lives look different from the rest of this world. That difference brings others to Christ because we can see the goodness of God in every situation when to others or even ourselves, our situation may look bleak.
What can we do to declare his goodness no matter our circumstances? It begins with a shift in our language: Replace “has been” or “right now” with “always.” “God is always Good.” Do this not only when things are going well, but when you are facing trials as well. This shows others, and yourself, that you trust in His goodness and the beautiful future He has in store for you.