Is God Good?

The Eternal is on His way:

yes, He is coming to judge the earth.

He will set the world right by His standards,

and by His faithfulness, He will examine the people.

—Psalm 96:13 THE VOICE

I used to have a cautious approach to God. One look at the news, and one can quickly wonder, How can a good God allow all this craziness, tragedy, and hurt? For years, I would have answered, What do I believe about God? with a tilted head and a narrowed expression. “I believe He’s unpredictable and slightly scary.”

I didn’t doubt God’s power. I didn’t doubt God’s authority. But I did very much doubt God’s goodness. However, when we go to the truth instead of our feelings for the answer to this question, we can understand God’s goodness in a whole new light.

His goodness has been apparent since creation. When He formed and shaped and painted and sculpted this world and its creatures into being, His goodness seeped in with every thought and touch. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31).

When Adam and Eve chose to sin, their sin infected and infiltrated the goodness of all God had made. So, while there are still good things in this world, the world is no longer a perfect reflection of God’s goodness. In Romans 8:21 Paul explains that the world is in “bondage to decay” or, as some versions say, in “slavery to corruption” (NIV, THE VOICE). This decay and corruption are evidence of the brokenness of this world. I personally see this evidence every time swimsuit season cycles back around. Y’all, the cellulite is real! My body is in bondage to decay. But this is a conversation for another day.

God is good. His plans are good. His requirements are good. His salvation is good. His grace is good. His forgiveness is good. His restoration is good.

The world is in a state of decay and corruption. We see it in deadly weather patterns, natural disasters, and famines that were not part of God’s good design. Cancer, sickness, and disease were not part of God’s good design. Car accidents, drownings, and murders were not part of God’s good design. The first sin did those things. When sin entered the world, it broke the goodness of God’s design. And sin absolutely breaks God’s heart. But in no way did sin affect the goodness of God. He has a plan, a good plan to rid this world of every effect of sin.

The Eternal is on His way:

yes, He is coming to judge the earth.

He will set the world right by His standards,

and by His faithfulness, He will examine the people. (Psalm 96:13 THE VOICE)

Though we may get our hearts broken from the effects of sin in this in-between time, God’s goodness will eventually set the world right. In the meantime, we must hold fast to the truth of who God is and His unchanging nature: God is good. His plans are good. His requirements are good. His salvation is good. His grace is good. His forgiveness is good. His restoration is good. That is what I believe about God. God is good.

Dear Lord, You are good. Help me keep sight of Your goodness in the brokenness of this world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.