Oh, how great is your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of men. Psalm 31:9 There are seasons in life where it seems like everything is easy and there is a complete absence of problems. During those seasons, we feel like we are on top of the world and it is easy to say I have lived in the goodness of God. It is in those seasons where God is reminding us about His goodness. CeCe Winans released the song Goodness of God, and it fast became one of my favorite songs. “I love you Lord, for your mercy never fails me, all my days, I’ve been held in your hands. From the moment I wake up until I lay me head, Oh I, will sing of the goodness of God.” Last August our daughter had her first child and I went to the hospital for moral support and to witness his grand entrance. The day she was dismissed, I remember the nurse coming in to get her ready to leave and I told the nurse “I have lived in the goodness of God.” When we are blessed with such a precious gift and when things in our life goes “right” it is so easy to see His goodness. As I was following Jacelyn and Andrew out of the hospital, I felt like the Lord challenged me, “Remember you always live in My goodness, not only when great things happen like having a new grandbaby.” I have thought a lot about my conversation with God that day. How we as humans can be so fickle as praising God for His goodness and the moment, we face a challenge of difficulty we start asking God where He is and if He even cares that we are suffering. That is what the disciples did when the boat they were in went through the storm.) The challenge comes when the seasons change, and we find ourselves in circumstances and difficulties that try to block out the goodness of God. Kind of like trying to drive in a bad rainstorm, and unable to see the road because of the heavy rain. We know deep down that God is good and we are quick to agree that He is good, but our feelings may have problems recognizing God when we are hurting. CeCe’s song goes on the say “I love your voice, You have led me through the fire, in darkest night, You are closer like no other.” I do not know about you; but my flesh wants to just be held close to God and not be led through a fire. I think we have misrepresented the goodness of God as things God does for us that makes us happy and our lives better. While that is part of His goodness, it goes much further than that, goodness is not just something God does, it is the very essence of who He is.
In Exodus 33, the children of Israel had displeased God with their stiff-necked attitude (rebellion.) God told the people to go and take the promise land without Him. Moses knew God and understood that he could not lead the people if God did not go with him. The bible says that every day Moses would get up and go into the tabernacle to wait for God and for several days Moses waited and God did not show up. Moses did not want the blessings of God without God. Each morning the people would get up and watch Moses Walk into the tabernacle and wait for God to show up and finally one morning, after Moses went into the tabernacle, “the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.” The people worshipped because the presence of the Lord had returned. Scripture tells us that the Lord spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend. Moses was honest with God; he did not want to go anywhere without God going with him. There are things each of face that we can relate with, I do not want to face this if God is not with me. The Lord told Moses that his request had been granted and God would lead them into the promised land because Moses found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The fact that he found grace in the sight of the Lord, gave Moses the courage to ask something greater from God, “Please show me our Glory.” (Glory means magnificence of great beauty.) Listen to how God responded, “I will make al My goodness pass before you and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.” When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was allowed to see God’s goodness. Then in Exodus 33:20 God said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live.” Then God went to explain that He would place Moses in the cleft of the rock and when He passed by, He would cover Moses face to protect him. When asked to see the glory of God, God said I will make my goodness pass by you. God is goodness and no one can separate the goodness of God from the character of God. God is the very essence of goodness. Goodness is God’s inherent moral perfection and His kindness.
Sadly, I sat in a bible study a few years ago and a woman had a cracked ankle and the teacher told her that God did that to her to teach her a lesson. If we taught our children a lesson by breaking one of their bones, it would be considered child abuse. The goodness and character of God is never displayed in an evil immoral way. We are too quick to blame everything that we cannot explain on God. After all He is in control, right? Ther truth be told, we are free will agents and some of the heartache we face are direct results of decisions and actions we have made. Then there are things that happen that we are not responsible for the results at all, in John 10:10 Jesus told us that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I have come that they have life and that they have it more abundantly.” Jesus told the story of a farmer who planted his crop and overnight the enemy came and sowed seed where the wheat had been planted. The tares and the wheat sprouted and grew together. There are seasons when we see the same thing happen, we think things ae good and then as time goes by, we start watching closely and see things that do not belong in our lives, families, communities, churches and nation. The enemy has planted discord and tares in our beautiful crop. When that happens and we see the devastation around us, it is easy to wonder if God is really good, why all these bad things happening. The goodness of God does not prevent us as Christians from facing any problems. In John 16:33 Jesus told the disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation.” I do not think that is what they wanted to hear from Jesus, but He went on to say, “But be of good cheer I have overcome the world.” How can you be of good cheer when you are facing a difficult season?
One of the keys to surviving the dark times, is found in Psalm 31:19 “Oh how great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear you, which You have prepared for those who trust is in you in the presence of the sons of men.” The fear of the Lord is a reverential awe and honor and submission to God. Submission comes when we trust God fully with all we have. Do we trust Him to do what is best? Do we have confidence that God is not out to get us (yes, He disciplines us to get our attention, but He is not looking for a reason to strike us down) but that He is working behind the seasons in ways we cannot see or understand. Isaiah 55:8 God tells us that “For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways My ways.” Walking with God is a walk of faith and we frequently do not see how the hand of God is moving. We must have trust in God that He always has our best interest at heart. Romans 8:28 promises “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. The goodness of God is not determined by the absence of pain and suffering, but the character of God who is always good. Like CeCe says the goodness of God is running after me.” And Psalm 23 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,” it is easier to be thankful. I Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God; in Christ Jesus for you.” No, we do not have to give thanks for the trial or difficulty, but we can confuse the enemy when we are thankful that Good’s goodness does not stop until the work, He is doing on our behalf is complete. What a comfort it is when we walk through the shadow of death, that His goodness is overtaking s. I pray for those who are hurting and struggling that you will experience the goodness of God in a fresh way today.
Cathy Nesmith