God is good all the time; all the time God is good.
I grew up with the first line of that phrase said from the church pulpit, and the congregation responded with the second line.
But sometimes we question the goodness of God. How can a good God allow bad things to happen?
Recently I suffered a health crisis and was hospitalized for eight months. Spending months in the hospital was life-changing.
I was admitted to the hospital for a leg infection. The doctors performed three surgeries on my leg, and I took several rounds of antibiotics to kill the infection. However, the intensive antibiotics triggered complications for my body.
Many times I cried out to God and asked why this was happening. The Lord saw me through this long, difficult season, but I faced many challenges before I could return home.
I learned that the answer to the question of why a good God allows bad things to happen is a matter of perspective.
The Goodness of God Walks With Us
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 HCSB
Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world, but God walks with us through tough times. He doesn’t abandon us when we face difficulties.
We show faith by trusting God is still there, walking with us, and holding on to us. It is an act of faith to believe He’s good even when life is hard.
Sometimes we may wonder if God is mad at us or if He’s abandoned us when trials come, but neither thought is true. Instead, we may need a different lens to view our situation.
Perspective Matters
“Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonderful works He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced.” – Psalm 105:4-5 HCSB
When I look back on my experience now, I can take one of two perspectives.
The first perspective is to wonder why a loving God allowed me to go through a painful experience. But this route doesn’t lead me toward cultivating a deeper trust in God.
The second perspective—and the one that factors the Lord into my life—expresses gratitude for how God loves me and walks with me through suffering. I can see how God was with me every step of the way. He placed caregivers and friends into my path to encourage me, and many people faithfully prayed on my behalf.
When we trace the faithful hand of God in our lives, we stir up thankfulness for our good Creator.
We always have a choice to make. Will we focus on how God is at work, or concentrate on what He hasn’t yet done?
Focus on God’s Goodness
“Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me; let us exalt His name together.” – Psalm 34:3 HCSB
Let’s consider what we’re exalting or magnifying today. Does our problem feel bigger than God? Or can we view our problem through the lens of God’s greatness?
When we use a magnifying glass, we bring a tiny object into focus. When we put something common underneath a magnifying glass, we discover new things we couldn’t see.
What if instead of fixating on our problems, we magnified God?
We can choose to look at God and recognize He’s bigger than any problem we could ever face. We can focus on the Lord’s goodness and splendor and stand in awe of His greatness.
When we exalt the Lord, our problems don’t look so daunting because of how big our God is.
When we look back on our hard seasons, may we see how God kept us, sustained us, and strengthened us along the way. May we recognize how the Lord never abandoned us during our greatest time of need, but walked beside us.
The Lord will continue to sustain us as we walk this road of faith.
God knows if you’re facing a difficult circumstance today. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He will strengthen and walk with you.
He loves us more than we can understand. God will be with us through the difficult seasons.
Our responsibility lies in what we choose to focus on—the problem or how big and amazing our God is.
Let’s decide to focus on the goodness of God.
Sharla Hallett
Sharla is a wife and a mother to two beautiful adopted children. When not caring for her family, she spends her time writing blog posts, devotionals, and books. Sharla has a passion for people to understand and connect with their true identity in Christ. To find out more about Sharla and explore her other written work, visit www.sharlahallett.com.
