Trusting in the Goodness of God Steven Long 11/01/13

My family and I are going through a particular hard time at the moment. When the ordeal first occurred I was crushed, but immediately went to the Lord in prayer. I knew that He was sovereign over everything that was happening despite the horrible choice I had made. And for weeks I rested in the sovereignty of God to pull us out of the pit.

But then I began to doubt. I didn't doubt God's control or His reign. I began doubting His goodness. I began to ask if He had forgotten His promises to take care of His children. I began to wonder if He had turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to my groanings. There is only one other time in my Christian walk that I ever felt so low and hopeless and the Lord brought me through it just fine. So why did I find myself in such doubt and conflict after God had previously delivered me? This time was different. Before, I didn't have a family. There was no wife or little ones to depend upon me.

But the real reason...the one I had been trying to deny is simply that I had stopped trusting in God's goodness. Sure, I had plenty of faith in His sovereign rule; I readily admit that He is complete control over my situation. But was I resting in His goodness? No!

Sometimes it is not enough to know that God is in control. Sometimes we must understand that He is also good. It is a certainty and assurance that, despite our sin-sick souls, our horrible choices, our doubt and fears, our faithless moments, or even our most righteous and obedient times–nothing will ever change the fact that God is good! The road may not be smooth. The way may be full of obstacles. And the weather may be dreary and gloom. But God will never change. Therefore, I will rest in this thought.

​​​​​​​​Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree should not blossom, ​​​​​​​nor fruit be on the vines, ​​​​​​​the produce of the olive fail ​​​​​​​and the fields yield no food, ​​​​​​​the flock be cut off from the fold ​​​​​​​and there be no herd in the stalls, ​​​ ​​​​​​​​yet I will rejoice in the LORD; ​​​​​​​I will take joy in the God of my salvation. ​​​ ​​​​​​​​GOD, the Lord, is my strength; ​​​​​​​he makes my feet like the deer's; ​​​​​​​he makes me tread on my high places. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​