The title phrase is not just a pep talk. I know God is good all the time. I have lived those promises over and over. Yet, somehow, some days, in the midst of the stuff of life, it is hard to see how good God is right then, in the midst of it.
My house and my friends up north are buried in record feet of snow and record cold. I am in Florida between two separate weekend memorials for my mom who passed in November. Last weekend we celebrated her life with those who knew her in Florida. It is sunny and warm outside here. I go to Michigan, with bitter cold even worse than Boston, for a second memorial this weekend.
I feel conflicted. Torn between the blessing I have to be here in the warm, but I feel the weight of my friends who are under the weight of snow with literally nowhere to put it! I also feel the contrast of celebrating my mom’s life, and missing her terribly.
I already feel keenly the heaviness of my heart as we close the final public chapter on my mom’s life with the service this coming Saturday. It makes me long for the days of black arm bands for a year. I do not want others to be sad. I would appreciate it though, if people knew I had all this going on inside. Not for the words of condolence, but more as a signal to “handle with care.”
So, how does our good God prove to be truly good when I face these contradictions?
I have built my own personal history of trusting and experiencing the presence of God in many situations. I began small. The opportunities to trust Him have grown in size and number over the years. I have experienced His care for me in innumerable ways. I have learned to trust, to have faith that God and His goodness does show up, sometimes in the least expected ways.
Rather than try to personally fight my way out of the challenges and the pain, I have learned to sit back. I breathe. I begin to thank God that though we have not been in this particular place before, we have been in a lot of places somewhat similar to this before. And every time God has proved to be good…sooner or later.
Sometimes when I slow down and breathe, I think of a scripture or hear a song that reminds me of God’s presence and provision. Other times I consciously choose to look for His goodness. Every time I have come through better and stronger, because: God is good, all the time, All the time, God is good!
When the goodness of God is not immediately clear, what do you do to reconnect with this truth?
In Your personal history with God, how has he proven to be good? Sometimes hind sight is 20/20.
Please share. I enjoy hearing from you!
