The Word of God says He never changes, that His goodness is firm and everlasting. But human faith fluctuates when I stop thinking about God as He has revealed Himself and start measuring Him by the world’s ideas, the comfort level in my life, or the whispers of spiritual enemies that are contrary to what He says.
And yet the principal foundation of faith is not the word of God, but God himself, and God is good, the rewarder of those who seek Him. The Bible says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4) and by this same goodness, He also leads me to reliance.
I recall many ‘little’ things, like parking places, workmen fixing without charge things we didn’t know were broken, encouraging phone calls at just the right time, finding the answer to problems when I called out for His help, and how all of that came from His goodness.
If I don’t believe God is good, how could I believe anything that He speaks or promises? If anyone else made a promise to me, I’d trust them only if… but when God makes a promise, His goodness gives credit to what He says. Years of seeing Him come through for me builds my faith, yet His goodness is always there, even if I cannot see it.
Some people acknowledge the power of God, yet without seeing His goodness motivating His power, He is not trusted. Actually, power without good intentions is dangerous, yet as Charnock says, God’s good will without power would be useless. Those who ‘mean well’ but never follow through do not create confidence in themselves, but because God does what He does rooted in His goodness, I am learning to deeply trust Him, even when His powerful actions make no sense or His wisdom in what He does escapes me.
Much of OT faith seems to be built on God’s power. However Hosea wrote: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:5) Their fear, meaning faith and worship, would be seen flowing from His goodness.
I’m learning to trust God’s power and wisdom, yet also His goodness. This makes faith deeper and more certain. If I do not understand the means or the why, relying on His goodness in all that happens becomes vital. This wonder and truth settles me far more than any glimpses of knowing why this action or event is happening. As my mother often said, “We must need it or we would not be getting it” and I can rely on ‘whatever’ with greater assurance knowing that God is good and whatever “it” might be, it comes from His goodness.
PRAY: Your Word says much of Your goodness and how that goodness satisfies Your people. I am glad to know that goodness is behind all that You do. “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” (Psalm 27:13) I also rejoice because:
When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4–7)Because of You, I’ve access to this goodness and not only that, this is the fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and my life can be lived with the same motivation. This is a most humbling thought and a great blessing. Amen.
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