Is God Really Good?
The phrase "God is good" has become very popular among Christians and religious people. These three words are mostly uttered when someone has been blessed in various ways like having a job, a good spouse, kids, good health, food, shelter, transportation, and whatever is considered "good" to have. What about when we don't possess any of these "good" things?
Is God still good when we lose our job?
Is God still good when we have a disease?
Is God still good when our relationships with our spouse, kids, and others are struggling?
Is God still good when we don't have shelter nor transportation?
Is God still good when we don't have food to eat?
Is God still good when some are being persecuted?
Is God still good when we lose someone close and dear to us?
The answer is YES, God is STILL good despite all of these things! Why may you ask? Because it's part of His character to be good, and not only that, He also does good. God's goodness is described throughout both the Old and New Testament. "You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes." - Psalm 119:68
Just like parents know better for their kids, God knows what is best for His children. We may have the expectation that our good would be to have things go smoothly for us all the time, to do anything we want, knowing that everything we do will turn out for our happiness, comfort, convenience, health, and success. But God already knows that the choices we make in our human wisdom and with our sinful nature will not always make us truly happy at the end of the day.
It says in Isaiah 55: 8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." God’s ultimate goal for us is to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.
So our lives won't go as planned and be perfect and smooth in this world. Even Jesus said "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
-- John 16:33
So, as Christians, when we go through hard times, we should always praise God and thank Him in advance for His goodness and how He's going to use it to mold us and for His ultimate purpose. Paul said in Romans 8: 28-29 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
The author Richard Strauss says "Not only do we learn the truthfulness of His Word, we also learn firsthand the joy of His presence and the reality of His grace. It is often through suffering that we begin to appreciate God’s goodness as never before."
Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
-- Psalm 106: 1
*****I'll explain how this relates to me on my next post.*****
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God's greatest desire for us is to make us more like Jesus. It doesn't mean we won't be happy but there's always trouble in life. Sometimes it's the health of our family members. There seems to be an unusual amount of health problems in pastors' families.
You're absolutely right in that; He's molding us to be more like His son, Jesus. The devil tends to go after God's children, especially those who are doing His work. I thought of 2 passages that talk about that:
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
--1 Peter 5: 8-9
Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
--Romans 5: 3-5