For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation. Psalm 100:5 TLB
One of the most profound truths that will change a person's life is the reality of knowing and understanding the Goodness of God. When the believer is not just aware of His Goodness but has his heart established in this truth, he will see greater Faith, greater joy, and greater trust in the Father. The Goodness of God seems so elementary but it is the foundation of all other Gospel and Redemption realities.
Faith is having a good opinion of God. Knowing just how Good God our Father is enables a trust in whatever He has promised and declared will come to pass. In fact, Faith declares whatever God has done in the Finished Work is already mine. Faith comes into agreement with what The Father has spoken and declared over our lives.
Only a Good God can make promises that will come to pass. If an earthly father told their child get ready we are going to get ice cream, but never took the child, and did this repeatedly, what would be the end result? If the father said again to get ready we are going for ice cream, the child would not trust what he said and more than likely wouldn't even get ready. Why? He couldn't trust those words, because those words weren't coming from a place of goodness.
God's Goodness at all times is the single greatest foundation all other truths are built upon. Faith builds on the foundation of Goodness because it's the character of the one promising that produces trust. Goodness is the foundation Grace builds on, His character reveals He is merciful, and will give us unearned and undeserved and unmerited favor.
God's Goodness is revealed in His blessings. He blesses us because He is Good, not because we are good. He blesses us because He is Good, His Goodness takes pleasure in blessing and providing and prospering His people.
God's Goodness is revealed in His Grace and great Love for us. His Grace is greater than our worst sins. No matter how far we have fallen or fouled up, His Grace is far-reaching and will always find us. His Grace covers, cleanses, and completely forgives all our sins. Nothing we can do can be so terrible that Grace can't overcome it and bring redemption, mercy, and transformation.
God's Goodness is revealed in the Word of Faith. We can come in agreement with God and receive all He has purchased, procured, and provided in the Finished Work of Redemption. We can make bold declarations of Faith because we know the character of the One who promised. We can rest in what He said in His Word because He is a Good Father and He can't lie. We can take Him at His Word and freely receive.
God's Goodness is revealed in His healing power and the wholeness He procured for us at Calvary. He was healer when He walked the sandy shores of Galilee and He has not changed. Look again at the Gospels. Many times when Jesus healed, it states He was moved with compassion. Is He any less compassionate today? He is our healer and He is Good.
One area we all need to develop in is seeing God's Goodness in the face of catastrophe. In a fallen world, there exist calamities, crises, and cataclysmic events. We must gain greater insight and understanding of God's Goodness in these times. We too often assign blame in some way to God for these events.
We say God is sovereign. Therefore this must mean He caused the event, He ordained the event, or He allowed it for some mysterious purpose. Look again at the character of Jesus. He said if you have seen Him you have seen the Father.
Jesus never crippled anyone to teach them empathy for others who were infirm. He didn't bankrupt anyone to teach them humility and to ensure they didn't get too high-minded. He didn't send a storm or disaster to punish, afflict, or chastise. He didn't crush and destroy lives claiming a mysterious purpose. No, He came to save men's lives not destroy and wreak havoc in their lives.
When we see disaster, calamities, or tragedy, our response should be to render help, to be there for those afflicted. Our response should be us being the hands, feet, and mouth of God and His Love and Goodness. We shouldn't be claiming that disaster is God's judgment on people. We shouldn't be saying this trauma was ordained of God because He is in control and He allowed it for His purposes.
When we are in a trial, when we are experiencing hardship and going through a challenge, we should be running to our Good Father. We shouldn't be accusing Him of causing the affliction or allowing it for some purpose. We shouldn't be asking God why are YOU doing this to me?
The enemy likes to bring accusations against you for all your failings, your faults, and foul-ups. He likes to bring condemnation for the sins you commit, the very sins he tempted you with. However, when you become established in Grace these accusations lose their effectiveness.
The enemy has another tactic and scheme. If he can't accuse you when you fail, he will try to get you to accept accusations about God. The enemy accuses God to you. He will claim God isn't always Good. If God was Good then this thing wouldn't have happened. If God was so Good why are you still struggling? If God is Good why are your prayers going unanswered? The enemy wants you to question and doubt His Goodness and faithfulness to you. Take those thoughts captive and instead begin to praise your Good Father! Your praises still and silence the enemy.
We have to establish our hearts and renew our minds to this truth, that God is Good all the time! Look at Psalm 34. We see a powerful truth and establishment of His all the time Goodness.
I sought the Lord, and He heard me And delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NKJV
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 NKJV
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NKJV
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 NKJV
Psalm 34 reveals Man has fears, troubles, and afflictions. However, what other pattern do you see? What is God's role in this? God is the one bringing deliverance and salvation. He is not the One bringing what's causing the fear. He isn't sending the trouble. He isn't the author of the affliction and He never will be.
In summation, embrace the Good News. God is always a Good Father. God is always for us and never against us. He is our advocate, He is our comforter, He is our deliverer, He is our Father. He loves us with everlasting unconditional Love. God wants an intimate relationship with His children, and knowing just how Good He is, is the foundation for that relationship. All the time God our Father is Good!
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