“God is good” is a statement that is often said with conditions attached. God is good, if and when and according to my standard of good. But what about when life is harder than you ever thought possible. Is God good then? We can sing songs all day long that claim God is good, but those words are truly tested when going through real difficulty and pain.
Looking back over my life, I can confidently say that God is INDEED good at all times. In the pride of walking in my own strength as well as in my humble dependency upon His strength, in both He has proven to work in ways that leave me saying, “Wow, God, that really hurt and surprised me, but it allowed me to see you more clearly, love you more dearly, and worship you more heartily. You are indeed my good God.”
It’s an unusual thing to see that pain or God’s convictions can cause me to say “I praise you, God, for you are good to me.” He is not only a good God because He replaces what was taken from me with something better, He is good even if I am left with no earthly possessions. He is not a good God because He keeps me from pain, He is a good God because He uses pain for my good.
God is good because in every day of my life He is working every detail out so that He is glorified in me and through me, and that results in what is definitely ‘good’ for me and for my future. It also causes my faith and trust in Him to become stronger, deeper and more concrete.
He is not only in my story – He is the main character and author of my story. He calls me to Himself. He saves me. He pursues me. He redeems me. He restores me. He completes what He began in me. He is so Sovereignly good!