Experiencing God's Goodness Through Trials

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him (Psalm 34:8).”

As a basketball player, the best way you get to know your teammates is when you are going through a difficult game. When the opponent is easy and everything is going great, all of your teammates seem reliable; you only really get to know their strengths and weaknesses when time is running out and you desperately need someone to make a play. It is the same in many situations in life; we find out who someone actually is not in good times but in the bad ones!

In the above verse we see that God wants us to taste and see that He is good. In other words, God doesn’t only want you to know He is good in your head, He wants you to experience it in your every day life. God’s goodness is His inherent nature of kindness, compassion, and virtue; He wants us to know Him as a good God. And one of the greatest ways we get to know God’s goodness is when He leads us through trials.

This truth may not make a lot of sense at the beginning. Many times we associate God’s goodness with His blessings, and that is true; however, sometimes He blesses us by leading us through difficulties in this life. As we go through trying situations on earth, we come to know God in a way we never could in easy times. The confusion around us makes the goodness of God shine all the brighter. The truth is that Jesus never promised His followers a life of earthly ease and prosperity, but rather He promised eternal glory and heavenly riches! And our trying times on earth give us treasure in heaven that is far greater than anything on earth; God works every situation for our eternal good (Romans 8:28).

Consider Joseph. He was a righteous man who served God, yet his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. After this he was unjustly thrown into prison, and was forgotten by everyone who he had helped. Yet after many years of horrible treatment, in the end Joseph became the governor of all Egypt (behind Pharaoh) and through his wisdom saved the nation and the surrounding people by storing grain for the years of famine. Eventually he was reconciled with his brothers, and his testimony to them was this, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).” God had a good purpose through all his suffering.

We can also think about the Apostle Paul. In the middle of a successful missionary journey, he and his coworker Silas were thrown into the inner dungeon of a Philippian prison. How did Paul respond? By praising God in the middle of his dungeon! He proclaimed the goodness of God when everything around him was going wrong. In the end, God sent an earthquake to release the prisoners, and the jailer himself got saved, along with all his family! Proclaim the goodness of God in every situation, for He is good all the time, regardless of what you are going through.

Let’s focus our eyes and our minds on Jesus, the One who is infinitely valuable, the Greatest Treasure. When we see Him we are overwhelmed and captured by His goodness. He is worth so much more than our present struggles. Jesus is waiting for you, so praise Him in every circumstance. He is good.

The God Who Hears

“And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear (Isaiah 65:24).”

When you’re hurting, God comforts.
When you’re missing, God seeks.
When you’re empty, God fills.
When you’re weak, God strengthens.
And when you’re praying, God hears.

Lately I have been going through a very stressful situation. My wife and I are attempting to buy a flat but have met one obstacle after another in completing the purchase. Making the matter worse is that we have to move out of the place we are currently renting. So I’ve been frantically trying to arrange a new place for us to stay, and everything is very last-minute because of the unexpected delays. Of course, we have been praying for God’s direction every step of the way, but sometimes have been unsure what He is directing us towards. As I was thinking about these things this week and pondering what God is doing, I felt this reassurance that God is the “God Who Hears.”

He is the God who hears us when we are in bondage. The children of Israel had been in Egyptian slavery for four hundred years when God appeared to Moses and told him He had heard the Israelites’ cry. He knew of their captivity and now was going to send Moses to deliver them. Are you struggling with a bondage? Are you oppressed by the chains of sin, depression, or illness? Cry out to God today and realize He is a God who hears your cry. You may not see your deliverance instantly, but if you cry out in true faith and repentance your miracle is on the way. God hears your cry for deliverance.

He is the God who hears us when we are in pain. The Scriptures tell us He is the “God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).” When you are in pain, whether physical or emotional, God is interested in comforting you and drawing you to His side. Never think that He is unaware of your pain, but realize that as your child He knows all about it and is going to send you comfort. Cry out to God for comfort, and He will hear and walk alongside you.

Finally, He is the God who hears us when we are unsure. We are told to cast all of our care upon Christ, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). What a tremendous promise! The verse doesn’t say to only cast your big cares upon God, but all of your cares upon Him. That includes things like, “Where should I live?”, “What kind of grades am I going to get?”, “Why do I feel lonely?” Every single one of your concerns matters to God, and we can cast all of them upon Him! He hears your cares. So let’s learn not to worry about these natural things, but simply ask God for help. He comforts, He seeks, He fills, He strengthens, He hears. Praise Him for His never-ending help!