God is good.

Give me faith to trust what you say
That you're good and your love is great  - Elevation Worship "Give Me Faith"

God is good.  This truth is so foundational in what we do and how we live. The Lord has been revealing this to me over and over in most of my quiet moments with him lately.  Think about the fall. We talked about this in our women's group last weekend. When Eve first decided to eat the fruit, what lie was she believing??

^{Genesis 3:6} When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

God had given Adam and Eve every single fruit in the garden except ONE, but Satan convinced Eve that God was withholding from her...that he did not have her best in mind, that he was not truly "good" and trustworthy.  As we women often do, Eve thought she knew better than God; she wanted "wisdom" and control.

I'm reading a book right now (spoiler alert) called one thousand gifts by Ann Voskamp. In the beginning she writes of a terrible family tragedy that rocks her world and view of God, wondering if she could believe that a God who allowed this unthinkable death was truly good. I read this and sobbed. Would I believe that God is good if he took my child home? At the core of my being, do I really believe that in any circumstance, whatever comes my way, that the God I serve is good? Because if I don't, what's the point? And if I do, it changes everything. I won't worry, I won't fret or fear, I'll live with joy knowing that nothing can shake my foundation. Nothing can steal my peace because the God I serve always always has my best in mind. He is good all the time, no matter what.

This truth is especially real right now, as people struggle with hurricane sandy and unspeakable tragedy throughout our globe.  Why does our God allow suffering? Why would a "good" God allow such awful things to happen? Well the answer is simple and complicated:-). It starts with the fall and ends with Jesus as our rescuer.  The vital truth that God is good  reminds us that God hates to see his people suffer and that was not his original intent for us, but because of choices made suffering comes.  His purposes are beyond our limited sight.  Visit this link http://www.christianityexplored.org/tough-questions/godandsuffering for great insight.  I'm not bailing on this question, but I just think this site explains it way better than I can, not trying to reinvent the wheel here.

So believing in God's goodness has huge implications for both personal circumstances and global suffering and injustice. For if God is not good, what am I doing? How can I trust him with my life? But he proves his goodness over and over, the cornerstone of this proof being Jesus - God sending his own Son to take on ALL suffering, pain, injustice through his wounds and his blood, then rising again three days later to give us hope for a future free from hurt and wounds.  Why would a God who doesn't care about us, who isn't good, do that? If God wasn't good, he would have left us at the fall. He would have said, hey Adam and Eve, you idiots, I told you what to do, you didn't do it, so peace out!! You're on  your own. But he didn't. Over and over he implores his people to return return - I love you, I created you, I want fellowship with you! Come back to me, do what I say, I promise, everything I have for you is VERY VERY GOOD.  The crowning glory of his reaching out for us is Jesus- God Man to earth living in a fleshly form exhibiting God's love and goodness through every word, act, miracle and of course, the cross.

So when I struggle with believing in God's goodness, when some tough time comes, or I'm just believing the lie that God doesn't know what's best for me so I need to take control, I turn back to Jesus. I remember the cross. My heart softens and gratefulness sets in. I remember that God loved us so much, he sent his Son. He is good. He is worth it all. He knows what I need exactly when I need it. And he has set a place for me in heaven. Why worry? 

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Spurgeon:

Christ loved you before all worlds; long ere the day star flung his ray across the darkness, before the wing of angel had flapped the unnavigated ether, before aught of creation had struggled from the womb of nothingness, God, even our God, had set his heart upon all his children.

Since that time, has he once swerved, has he once turned aside, once changed? No; ye who have tasted of his love and know his grace, will bear me witness, that he has been a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. . . .

You have often left him; has he ever left you? You have had many trials and troubles; has he ever deserted you? Has he ever turned away his heart, and shut up his bowels of compassion? No, children of God, it is your solemn duty to say 'No,' and bear witness to his faithfulness. 

 --Charles Spurgeon, 'A Faithful Friend,' in Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon (New York: Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., 1857), 13-14