God is good – always! Despite my personal struggles, my current mood, the status of our finances, the faith life of our family members – despite our health troubles, our parenting issues, our learning and teaching challenges- despite this fallen world in which we live and our inclination to sin, God is good, always!
God is good because He goes before us. He prepares our hearts and minds; He places people in our lives. He does not abandon us – even when we feel alone or surrounded by loving friends who know they do not understand fully and seldom know what we need to hear, but manage to make us feel better anyway.
God is good because He designed our families. He knows the partner in life that I need to help me to Heaven. He knows children and parents need each other to practice living our faith in a true school of holiness. I mean – really – if you can be holy in your family – you can be holy!!! Think back to living with your family of origin; think of your family now and the many personalities and traits and shortcomings and strengths and weaknesses…a real school of holiness!
God is good because He allows us the ability to be Christ-like: made in His image and likeness. Then, He allows us to see Himself in other members of the body of Christ – even when they do not. To be able to connect and bond with others and share our joys and sorrows – these are such gifts and consolations from God!
God is good because He Is God…and I am not! There is such freedom and peace in knowing this. Of course, God asks us to do His will. He often asks us to do things or say things that make us uncomfortable or vulnerable. He asks us to do ordinary things, and then He somehow, in His mysterious ways, makes something extraordinary emerge from our obedience. Knowing I can only do what I can do and surrendering to God all that is out of my control, I am free and peaceful, yet these require true practice in trust and faith.
How has God revealed His goodness to you lately? Has He gone before you in an unexpected circumstance? Has He revealed to you how He is molding saints within your imperfect family? Has He shown you that He abides in you and others and how He has formed a community of support for you? Has He given you the freedom of knowing what you can and cannot do? Have you practiced the trust to know He can and He will bring good out of it all?
We need to hear y’all’s praise reports! (English majors just cringed at my southern word there, but they forgive me!). We all need to be reminded of God and His mighty works! He still performs miracles! He is still asking us to spread the “Good News!” What is your Good News? Tell someone! Write it down! Spread the Gospel! Someone needs to hear it – the world needs to hear it! We are commissioned to do so!
Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash
