When I was discovering God for myself four years ago–reading the Bible, listening to worship music, and spending time in prayer–I began to understand and see how His goodness, grace, and mercy had followed me all the days of my life.
All of the difficult and painful things I went through were due to my own poor choices. I chose to turn away from God, drink excessively, and participate in sinful behaviors. Everything I chose caused me to spiral into depression, anxiety, disease, and shame.
The enemy was on a mission to destroy me, and I had opened the door for him to have free rein in my life.
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10).
But now I can see that my precious Savior, Jesus Christ, was always right next to me even in my darkest moments, hurting when I hurt, and reminding me of His love, hoping that someday I would listen and believe Him.
When I finally turned back to God, responding to His loving pursuit of my heart, everything changed. I had finally chosen Him over the world and He began to transform me from the inside out.
Because of Him, I am now full of joy and peace, I am completely healed of Crohn’s disease, and I am free from shame. Because of Him, I am married to a sweet and loving husband, pursuing my dream of being a writer, and am able to love and minister to people every day. Because of Him, I went from living under a dark cloud, believing the world would be better off without me in it, to living a truly beautiful life.
Some people question God’s goodness, asking why He would allow horrible things to happen to us. What we often forget is that humans have free will, and some of us choose evil. When humans choose evil, it allows the enemy to swoop in to steal, kill, and destroy.
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (James 1:17).
“The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time” (Psalm 34:19).
It is so important for every believer to have settled in their heart that–no matter the circumstance–God is always good. As soon as we fall into the trap of blaming God for allowing evil, we have begun to shipwreck our faith. We will end up bitter, angry at God, and wondering why we even chose Him in the first place.
I have found that the moment we start believing wholeheartedly that God is good, and He has finished the work to set us free from sin, everything can change. All who are in bondage to sin, its stain, and its effects can live free. We are healed, made whole, and empowered to live a transformed life in the Holy Spirit.
“And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death…The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” (Romans 8:2, 11).
Now I know that I have lived in the goodness of God all the days of my life. By God’s grace, through faith, we are able to live a life of love, abundance, and power that is only made possible because of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and unfailing love.
“...My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
(John 10:10)
“...My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).
If you struggle with believing God is good, I encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to reveal His goodness to you in a new way. For it is impossible to have an intimate relationship with God if you are questioning His goodness and love for you. Believing God is good is foundational for spiritual growth and living a new life in Christ.
I have also written held, a one-week devotional ebook, to help awaken you to God's goodness and draw you closer to His heart.
Check it out!
held - awakening to God's goodness
held is a 7-day devotional book written to awaken and remind your heart of God's goodness, faithfulness, and unfailing love. Each day contains Scripture, thoughtful reflection, and a prayer to draw you into communion with the Lord. A daily worship song is also included for deeper reflection.
May God bless and keep you,
Julia
Member discussion