Changing My Definition of “Good”

There’s a saying shared by some Christians, a call and response if you will, that is often said out of habit. “God is good!” – “All the time!” – “And all the time!” – “God is good!”

Is it true though? Is God “good”?

Something I’ve struggled with over the last several years is believing God is good. I mean, yes, I believe in the goodness of God theoretically. I believe the Word of God when it testifies to His goodness. Yet, when it comes to the same belief in my own life, I struggle.

A scripture that I came across a few years ago, and continue to dwell on from time to time, is Psalm 119:68. The first part of the scripture reads, “You are good, and what you do is good…” This is not a question. It is a statement of fact. It is a proclamation of the nature of God. If it is in the Bible, it must be true, right? Right?

God is good. What He does is good. What He does in my life is good. EVERYTHING He does in my life is good. That’s a hard pill to swallow, especially if I may not agree.

Well, if it is true, then that means I am the one that is confused. I am the one that needs to change my definition of good. I cannot measure God’s actions against my limited understanding of good. He created goodness. Therefore, if He’s the creator, then he must know what He intended to be good. He knew the depths and complexities of goodness before I could even spell “good.” While I am here trying to push past my finite perspective to comprehend how certain events in my life could equate to goodness, He is watching over me. He is sitting with me. He is waiting for me to turn to Him and surrender my efforts to finally “get it.”

All I can do is ask him to show me his goodness. All I can do is ask Him to teach me what His goodness means with each incident that does not appear to match up in my eyes to the actions of a “good, good, father.”

He is good. I must declare that to myself each day, because the more I speak His truth over my life, the more it will shape my thoughts and outlook on life. He is good. This is good. This very thing in my life that I don’t understand and the thing I cannot control reflects His goodness.

I must press into his heart in these moments of uncertainty to make my footing secure. I might stumble over my own desires that are seemingly good, but rather, are only blocking me from the path he carved out for me before I arrived to this part of my wilderness. However, I know, or rather I am striving to remember, that He is good and will do good to me even now.

*For a song of encouragement, check out “Definition of Good” by Naomi Raine