"God is good" one person says, and the other replies "all the time." Then the cycle begins in reverse "and all the time," one echoes back, "God is good." It's such a statement of declaration! It declares our acknowledgement and belief that we serve a God who is good to us, and deals rightly with us.
Over the last few years, this has become quite a mantra among Christians. But, I wonder how much we believe it. I mean, do we believe it when helicopters collide with airplanes? Do we believe it when terrorists attack? How about when we've been given a report of cancer? Or, when we bury our children; can't pay our bills, find ourselves divorced, feel rejected, neglected and abandoned? Do we declare so quickly then that God is good? Oh, very likely we do . . . after all, we surely wouldn't want anyone to think we don't have it all together do we? (yes, that was sarcasm) But, in the depths of our heart do we believe it?
Or, are we angry when the God of the universe doesn't order our universe to suit us? Do we get dismayed with God's lack of response to our many prayers of instruction, on how He should respond? Is there an inward recoil of our spirit, but an outward display of our piousness?
Would God be angry with us if we admit to some of those feelings? Would God even disown us?? Would God "zap" us and . . . poof, that's the end of us?
No way!! Just look at David's words in Psalm 88. He isn't declaring how good God is, instead David declares that God has forsaken him . . . so much so, that God doesn't even remember HIM!! David has had it with life and just wants to die, and he is pretty sure his daily prayers have gone completely unheard by God. If you read the whole psalm, and you should, you'll likely think it's jut pitiful, loaded with doubt and confusion, and it doesn't end any better. There are no statements of faith, or any assurances that things are going to change. God didn't strike David down for those statements. Nor, did God punish David. Incredibly, something dramatic has happened in David's heart between Psalm 88, and Psalm 89. Because Psalm 89 is filled with declarations of God's goodness!
You see, God is good in spite of the bad things that happen in the world, or in our life. God is good in spite of what we think, or feel. God is good! His plans are perfect and His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). God knows we are human and our humanity leads us down paths of doubt, fear and confusion regarding our creator God who is beyond our comprehension.
So, when we admit those feelings and give them over to God, a transformation like none other can then begin, just as it did for David, as evidenced between the those two Psalms! Remember . . . confession IS good for the soul!
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