God Is Good All The Time

 

The phrase, "God is good, all the time," is a cornerstone of Christian affirmation. It is a powerful declaration that has been passed down through generations, yet it is not a direct quote from the Bible. Instead, this simple statement is a beautiful distillation of a profound and constant truth woven throughout the entirety of scripture. It is easy to shout this phrase in moments of blessing and abundance, when life is going well and we can clearly see the hand of God at work. The real test of our faith, however, comes when the circumstances of our lives challenge this very declaration.

Scripture repeatedly grounds us in this foundational truth. Psalm 100:5 boldly proclaims, "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." This isn't a conditional goodness, dependent on our behavior or our circumstances. It is an enduring goodness—a part of God's very nature. His love is steadfast, and His faithfulness stretches across all of history, a constant anchor in a changing world. In Romans 8:28, we find a promise that, "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." This verse doesn't promise that all things are good, but rather that a good God will work even the most difficult circumstances for the ultimate good of His children.

This is often where the beautiful affirmation "God is good" can feel like a bitter pill to swallow. How can God be good when a loved one dies? How can we say God is good when we receive a devastating cancer diagnosis? How can God be good when we lose our job and face an uncertain future? These are questions that cause us to wrestle with our faith and to confront the gap between what we believe and what we experience.

Sometimes, we misinterpret the statement "God is good" to mean "God makes sense" or "everything God does is understandable." We expect His actions to align with our limited human logic, and when they don't, we question His character. The profound reality of faith is that when we say "God is good," we are saying that even when He doesn’t make sense, even when we don't understand His plan, and even when our circumstances are painful, His nature as a good and loving God does not change. The prophet Habakkuk models this faith perfectly, declaring, "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines...yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

This is the very essence of faith: a profound trust in God's unchanging goodness, even when our circumstances are not good. We may not have all the answers on this side of heaven, but there is a deep, unshakable peace that comes from knowing that His goodness is a constant, immovable pillar. It is this trust that allows us to stand firm and declare, "God is good, all the time," because we know that all the time, God is good.

-Pastor Patti