When things go wrong, that’s the first question on our minds. Bob and Jenny lose their baby at 37 weeks as a still born. A tsunami wipes out 2500 people in a coastal surge. Susan is devastated by the report that she is fighting stage 4 cancer. Mike has been working 14 hour days to launch his new business, but discovers that a major client has filed bankruptcy.
So, if life is so hard, if hard things happen, Is God good?
That question has been the first line of attack from the very beginning of time. Eve is standing in front of a tree in the middle of a garden that holds thousands of trees. It’s the one tree, the only tree, with a prohibition. Then the question comes, “If God were good, why wouldn’t he give you this tree?” (My paraphrase!).
Be honest, you’ve asked the question yourself. Or, perhaps have had the question whispered in your spirit. “If there is a God, and if he is good, why would this happen?”
And because your earthly event doesn’t make sense, you are left with one of three conclusions: either there is no God, or He is not good, or He is too weak to uphold goodness and therefore not worthy of any attention.
So often the experiences that we have are not God’s doing at all. When Adam experienced the pain of his first briar scratch and saw the blood trickling down his hand, was that God’s fault? When he and Eve felt the brokenness of their first argument, did God cause that?
The events that take place in your life can be such a mixture of human brokenness and divine intervention. The question of God’s goodness is not the issue.
I would like to suggest to you that we are asking the wrong question. In his hatred, the enemy has perverted the appropriate question. The real question is this, “Since God is good, what could his purpose be?” or sometimes, “Since God is good, what forces are at work here that would result in my current circumstances?”
You are surrounded by the goodness of God. Just as Eve was surrounded by his goodness in the garden, but her attention was diverted from that overwhelming reality, your attention is sometimes turned away from the abundant goodness to focus on the insignificant challenges.
My intention is not to write a book at this point, but rather to have you be aware that you are enveloped in the goodness of God. God does not just do good things, He is good. He cannot be anything but good. His very nature, his character is good.
If you are in the middle of struggle, or perhaps at the beginning of one, remember: The enemy of your soul will challenge the goodness of God ahead of every other accusation or lie. Satan wants you to distance yourself from the Father. You’ll be vulnerable there.
Instead, run to the Father. Rejoice in his goodness, even during life’s hardships. Give praise to the King of heaven. He is good, and his mercy endures forever.
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