I dont think God is good, my friend told me. She had been praying for years about some difficult issues, but nothing had improved. Her anger and bitterness over Gods silence grew. Knowing her well, I sensed that deep down she believed God is good, but the continual pain in her heart and Gods seeming lack of interest caused her to doubt. It was easier for her to get angry than to bear the sadness.
Doubting Gods goodness is as old as Adam and Eve (Gen. 3). The serpent put that thought in Eves mind when he suggested that God was withholding the fruit from her because God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (v. 5). In pride, Adam and Eve thought they, rather than God, should determine what was good for them.
Years after losing a daughter in death, James Bryan Smith found he was able to affirm Gods goodness. In his book The Good and Beautiful God, Smith wrote, "God's goodness is not something I get to decide upon. I am a human being with limited understanding." Smiths amazing comment isnt naïve; it arises out of years of processing his grief and seeking Gods heart.
In times of discouragement, lets listen well to each other and help each other see the truth that God is good.
For more on this topic, read Why Doesn't God Answer Me from Discovery Series.
Todays reading unveils one of the central strategies of our enemy, Satan. In addition to suppressing Gods truth, Satan uses Scripture for his own evil ends by tempting the believer to doubt its truth. When we experience doubts concerning the Word of God, we can follow our Lords example and cite Scripture with confidence (Matt. 4). Scripture is an offensive weapon against our enemy (Eph. 6:1018).