The Goodness of God
The Goodness of God
The Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. (Ps. 84:11)
A Foundational Truth
Praying to God for things we need and want is so much easier when we have a clear understanding of His character, how good and generous He is. The reason God “does not withhold the good” from us is because He is good—infinitely good, completely good, always good. When we “live with integrity,” seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (see Matt. 6:33), we will more readily see that God doesn’t withhold good from His children.
But God doesn’t always seem good to us because not everything that happens to us seems good. Living in a fallen world such as ours, we experience pain, injustice, confusion, and frustration. But this does not mean God is not good. The cross settled that question once and for all.
The Fight to Believe
A Christian who doubts God’s goodness is in trouble. We simply won’t trust someone we don’t believe has our best interests in mind. And if we don’t trust God, we won’t grow. Simple as that.
Know that Satan’s number-one strategy is to cast doubt in your mind about God’s goodness. He will tell you that God hasn’t really forgiven you. He will make God out to be a cruel taskmaster. Don’t believe him for a second. God is 100 percent good, 100 percent of the time.
Bottom Line
Every time you’re tempted to doubt God’s goodness, remind yourself of the cross. He has proven His love for you there.