Good All the Time
Growing up, one of my mentors at church had a simple response to everyone who said, “God is good” after they experienced some wonderful event or news.
She would say, “ALL the time.”
To which the person usually stammered, “Why, yes. Of course, he is.” before they wandered off.
Through the years, I have tried to reply to my various situations with the same confidence. To say, God is good all the time. Not just during those times when he really shows up and shows out, as another of my friends likes to say.
That doesn’t mean every situation and every circumstance I have faced was good. Far from it.
Saying with confidence that God is good all the time is believing God remains good in the midst of every situation and every circumstance.
Good. Bad. And ugly.
Unchangeable Good
Since God is immutable and unchangeable, isn’t it reasonable to trust God is good all the time?
God’s goodness doesn’t change.
Never has. Never will. Because what is true in the light, is still true in the dark.
Perhaps you remember the song “Count Your Blessings”. Name them one by one and see what God has done.
Unfortunately, reflecting on God’s past goodness isn’t always my first response. Yet, when I reflect on God’s goodness, even when what I am going through isn’t ideal, it brings hope to a less than hopeful situation.
Job is a great example of believing God is good all the time. He lost pretty much everything, yet he continued to say, Still I will praise the LORD. My Redeemer and my God. Job knew his Redeemer lived. With that strong confidence, he could turn his laments and pain into praise and worship. In the end, God rewarded Job for his unwavering faithfulness.
Seeing the Good in Hindsight
During a conversation with our son several years ago, he said he was glad something he wanted, prayed for, and was disappointed not to get, didn’t happen.
Hindsight, right?
I imagine we’ve all been there. There is that certain something or somethings we desperately desire. We take our request to God, knowing he hears and answers prayer. Only he doesn’t answer our prayer the way we hoped he would.
Something I’m learning is that because we trust in God’s mercy and grace, we can accept his no right alongside his yes. In everything he does, and in everything he 
allows, God has our best in mind.
When we go through the hurt and disappointment of a no, it can be rather difficult to count it all joy and keep believing God is good.
Or to believe that in his infinite wisdom, God did what was best for us. But that’s exactly what God did.
How many times have we asked God for something, and just like my son, in hindsight, thanked God for not doing it?
For me, I’d have to say a lot of times.
Remember What We Know is True
It’s during those difficult times that we need to go back to what we know is true. God is good. Not only when things go smoothly for us. But all the time. And since God is good all the time, that includes the times when things don’t go as smoothly as we hoped.
My most vivid memory of beginning to accept this truth was decades ago. I stood in a convention center surrounded by fellow Christians singing, “God is so good”. As I sang, tears streamed down my face.
I knew the words of the song to be true, but at that very moment events in my life were anything but good. At least that’s how it seemed to me at the time.
Even though the situation was difficult, God never changed. He remained good, sovereign, and with me.
Isn’t that what we need to remind ourselves?
Your Turn
Have you had times when you prayed for something that didn’t come out the way you hoped, only to be grateful it didn’t? What helps you remember God is good all the time?
I wish you well.
Sandy
Photos courtesy Pixabay.