By sis Tan Geok Eng
Goodness is one of God’s attributes. What does "goodness" mean? God always acts by what is right, true, and good. God's nature cannot be contradicted.
Holiness and righteousness are God’s nature. He cannot do anything unholy or unrighteous.
God is the standard of all that is good.
In Ps 33:4-5, the writer wrote: "For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.”
God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good. He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust. (Mt 5:45)
Generally, how do people view God? Well, most people believe that God is good. When they do good, they will be blessed. When they die, they will go to heaven. But what happens when one is faced with hardship and trying to make ends meet? Will they still think that God is good?
In Lam 3:22-26 the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “It is God’s mercies or great love that we are not consumed or destroyed because God’s compassion never fails. They are new every morning; the day and night proclaim the mercy and compassion of God. Great is God faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”
Yes, God is good. It is good that man should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of God.
Exo 14:13 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.”
This was when the children of Israel were caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian armies. Moses then told the Israelites to "stand still and see".
Sometimes, we too, need to 'stand still and see" the good things that God has given to mankind. We need to quiet our minds and hearts to see the goodness of God. God is who He is. Goodness is one of God’s attributes.
Does God allow trials to happen?
Yes, but even when He does allow these things to happen, He is still good and worthy of praise. We can be confident that we serve a God who will work good things out of bad situations.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations 3:32-33 “But though He causes grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.”
Though God allows man to suffer grief, He does not afflict or grieve them willingly, but He have compassion according to the multitude or abundance of His mercies.
One Bible example I can think of is Joseph. Out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to some merchants, who landed in Egypt. Life initially appeared to have been good, but it had turned into a calamity. Not one at a time, but one after the other. When Joseph met his brothers 20 years later, he told them in Genesis 50:20 "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Joseph’s 20 years alone in Egypt help me to understand that I may face hardship or suffering, but the result has a purpose. I must be patient and rely on God for strength. I can be sure that God is good.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
David, ‘a man after God’s own heart’ (Ac 13:22 cf 1Sam 13:14), had this to say in Psa 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Keep this in mind. Be faithful till death. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of our lives.