I know she’ll be here soon. I purposely set one chocolate kiss in the glass candy dish in my kitchen. She’ll look there.
I want to be a good grandmother. When my 2-year-old granddaughter comes to my house, I want to give her treats and make her happy. For her, that includes chocolate. (Chocolate makes me happy too.)
But I also don’t want to ruin her appetite for real food or make her sick from too much junk food.
What is actually good?
When Things Look Bad
2020 has good things in it, to be sure. God is still here, still with us.
But by most measures, 2020 is one of our craziest years. It’s been easy to lose hope from week to week.
- We can’t feel totally safe from the coronavirus even in our previously good activities.
- We can’t talk sanely about sensitive issues with some of the good people we once talked with.
- We can’t even trust ourselves to not occasionally lash out in frustration or to not give up in hopelessness.
None of us can live up to always being “good” (Psalm 14:3).
What about God? Is God angry at us this year? Is He holding out?
We once knew the right answer to this call-and-response:
“God is good all the time. And all the time __________.”
But what about now? Is God still good?
3 Ways to Hope in God’s Goodness Again
1. LOOK TO THE PAST
When we get confused in the present, one way to reorient ourselves is to look back to the past. Who has God been to you in the past? God is not an unknown factor.
God reveals Himself to us again and again in good ways. And His character never changes.
If we’ve ever had anything good happen in our lives, we can be assured of its source: God.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17
If you’ve ever found forgiveness, received grace, been blessed, you’ve seen God.
Remember God’s goodness in your past.
2. RELAX IN THE PRESENT
When we remember that God is goodness itself, it changes our narrative about the present. Regardless of what is happening to us right now, while maybe not always pleasant, we are still safe in the hands of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
It doesn’t mean there won’t be problems. It doesn’t mean there won’t be pain.
But God gives the needed sunshine and replenishing rain to all of us; He doesn’t play favorites (Matthew 5:45).
“The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
Psalm 145:9
When we believe God is always good, never bad, we can more easily relax in the present. We can depend on God’s goodness, not our circumstances, other people, or ourselves, to give us what we need. We can trust God will always provide the best for us (Matthew 6:33-34).
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11
It’s who He is.
3. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Maybe we can’t see the path yet for a bright future or a successful ending to a saga we’re in. But God can.
And because God is good, we can safely get our hopes up.
“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:18
One verse never to forget is the final verse of Psalm 23. Perhaps you memorized it as a child or an adult. If not, memorize it now to cling to in hard times:
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6
It was true in King David’s lifetime; it is true in our lifetime.
We will eventually move past the hard time we’re in, even if it takes awhile. God’s goodness assures it.
God’s goodness has been with us in the past, is with us now, and will be with us forever.
Good Things Always Come
After my granddaughter ate her chocolate kiss after lunch (okay, technically it was after breakfast), I had to leave the bowl empty for awhile. It was for her own good. She checked back periodically. Still empty.
But the next day? I had added another chocolate kiss to the bowl. I want her to trust that good things will always come, just maybe not as quickly as she may want them. I also want her to count on my goodness both for her well-being (not TOO much chocolate) as well as for her delight.
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
Psalm 34:8
We too can keep looking for God’s goodness around us. We will find it. God wants and has planned good things for us (Jeremiah 29:11). God is good all the time.
And all the time, God is good.
Don’t lose hope.
How has God been good to you even in 2020? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
For more hope in God’s goodness:
• 3 Ways to Find the Good in God [Article]
Has God been good to you? Here are 3 things you can do to find out.
• God’s Promises [Infographic]
Sometimes we forget to hope because we forget God’s promises. God’s promises for us are good. Here’s an infographic to remind you of His goodness.
Lisa, I so needed this reminder today. God is good, all the time, and we need to set our sights on that fact, seeking out His goodness in the past, present and the future of our lives. He will meet all our needs.
Blessings!
I agree, Martha! God’s goodness can’t be underestimated because He is always with us, always loving, always faithful. We can count on that, even when we can’t see it with our eyes. Thank you.
Amen. God is good, always is, always will be and always was. The times are in His hands and things are not always as we desire. There is not always a chocolate kiss in the bowl every time we want one. That is such a great metaphor for me. Chocolate makes me happy too! But God’s Presence makes me so much more content and comforted no matter what the situation. Thank you so much, Lisa, for drawing me closer to the One Who can hold me closely in the midst of so very much all arounnd. Loving you, ~ linda
I love your faithful testimony to God’s goodness, Linda. As you walk out hard things, you still hold on your faith in the One who is holding you. You are an encouragement to me!
I love how you dispensed treats to your granddaughter – one at a time. It made it more exciting for her to wonder whether a treat would be there or not, I am sure. If God is similarly trying to get out attention in 2020, He certainly has achieved His purpose!
I especially loved this wonderful reminder: “If you’ve ever found forgiveness, received grace, been blessed, you’ve seen God.” Yes, God is always good. We can count on that, even in the midst of turmoil.
Yes, He has definitely grabbed my attention in 2020. We’ve had a few conversations about it. :) Yet He still remains good to me. I am grateful.
He has kept us.
And, oh, how sweet it is to be kept by Him. We are blessed indeed. Thanks for this, Susan.
Beautiful, Lisa. I love writing and talking about the real source of hope and God’s goodness. So this is comforting to weave them together into one message. I like how you said, “…one way to reorient ourselves is to look back to the past. Who has God been to you in the past?” We can always look back and see God’s handprints and footprints in our lives.
And it’ll be interesting in the next few years to look back at 2020 and see ways that God had his fingerprints on this year, even in places we can’t see right now. It’d be nice to have access to that dusting powder that reveals fingerprints like I see on TV police shows. :)
Lisa, this is such a lovely reminder of His continued goodness. I loved waking up to this reading today. And what a precious way to greet your sweet granddaughter!
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Thanks, Tammy. One of the songs I’ve loved listening to lately is along these lines.
This is the chorus of “I Know” by Big Daddy Weave:
I know that You are good
I know that You are kind
I know that You are so much more
Than what I leave behind
I know that I am loved
I know that I am safe
‘Cause even in the fire, to live is Christ, to die is gain
I know that You are good
Lisa, this is the second post I have seen this week about God’s goodness. I went through a period not long ago where I doubted this in my life. It is a dark, dark place that I never want to go back to.
It definitely feels hopeless when we lose our trust in God’s goodness. I’m glad you escaped that place, Lauren. You’ll know how to minister to others now who find themselves there.
Another good one! I love that you included learning to relax in the present. We are not promised tomorrow, so why waste the present worrying about the future or the past. A great encouragement! Thanks.
Thanks, Suzette. It’s advice I have to repeat to myself often because worrying can still drag me down. :( I have to repeat Matthew 6:34 to myself often and remember that the Lord’s grace will always be enough for each day!
Despite many annoyances and disappointments this year due to the virus and government regulations, this has been a rich season for me of personal Bible study and getting involved with online Bible study groups, so I am so thankful for God’s steadfast goodness to me as He has drawn me so close to His heart in this hard season!
That’s encouraging to hear, Gina! I joined an online Bible study group in the spring but it didn’t pan out so I was disappointed. I’m looking to find a new one to join this fall. But I did love our online group here who memorized Psalm 91 together; they were so helpful to keep my focus on God. I’m grateful God still provides us resources we need to continue drawing near to him and to others. I’ll be glad when this season is over though. :)
Hi Lisa, It looks like the Lord led us to write about His hope this week. :-) Thank you for these reminders for ways to hope in God’s goodness, when things may not seem so hopeful. Great, edifying post!
I’m so glad you mentioned your post here, Karen. I just read it (and commented there); it’s very helpful. I’m going to add the link here for those who want to read more on hope! You included so many relevant scriptures. Thanks!
https://growingtogetheringraceandknowledge.blogspot.com/2020/08/3-biblical-encouragements-for-remaining-hopeful-in-hardship.html