There is a biblical reality that we need to understand about God’s goodness and I’m going to give it to you straight up. The good that God has for you is often given in and discovered after times of distress and pain. Have you noticed that? That is God’s modus operandi! When God wants to do you good, it very often first appears to us dressed as pain, challenge, distress, or trouble.
God’s goodness drives Him to do what it takes to give you His best and grow you and transform you into His best. God’s goodness does not drive Him to leave you comfortable and happy all the time. To get God’s best we need to change and change is painful. This is the case all through the Bible. Abraham had to be willing to put his only son on the altar. Joseph had to be sold as a slave. Moses had to hide in the desert for 40 years. Job had to lose his possessions, his family, and his health. David had to run from Saul, and then from his own son Absalom. Jonah had to be swallowed by a whale.
When Paul was converted, God announced in Acts 9:15 “Paul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” Paul was God’s chosen instrument. Is that not what we all want to be? It is our dream to be the chosen instrument of God. But we need to remember that verse 15 is not the end of God’s pronouncement. He concludes in verse 16, “And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
We often have the truncated idea that suffering is merely corrective. But suffering can also be constructive. Suffering is often a sign of God’s good pleasure with us. Remember the words of James who wrote in James 1:2-4,
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
The key to overcoming depression is resting in trusting that God is good, not in understanding everything that God does or why. You cannot expect to understand how God intends to bring about good in every situation. He is God. If we could understand everything about why He does things the way He does them He wouldn’t be much of a God. His thinking is above our thinking. His ways are above our ways. But His ways are always good.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 
So true. Part of overcoming involves thanksfulness that leads to your full consecration to God no matter the circumstances.. “18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. 20 Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test [a]all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is He who is calling you [to Himself for your salvation], and He will do it [He will fulfill His call by making you holy, guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as His own].” (1 Thessalonians 5:18-24Amplified Bible)
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Amen brother! Right on, and a great Scripture that indeed is the foundation of the thoughts in my post.
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Good post, Dan. We were just discussing this last night and this morning – thanks for confirmation :-)!
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Glad God was speaking to you through it. I always live seeing that posts are used to confirm and affirm what God is doing and teaching in other people. It’s awesome. =)
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Hey Dan, I appreciate the wording you used. I have often heard the corrective term but not the constructive one. Although I know that change is often for my good and I know that God can use all things constructively it was something about the way you worded it and the use of the word constructive in it that was particularly helpful. I am experiencing a lot of change lately and it often feels like a roller coaster – and I hate roller coasters. But I see God’s goodness in it and that there is a constructive purpose and that there are opportunities within that change for my own growth and others around me. In the midst of difficult changes I often want things to stop changing and I long for stable boring days!! . However your words were a good reminder – the biblical references pointing to the potential value that results from difficult change. I needed that today, thank you.
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So glad the Spirit spoke to you through that post! That is so encouraging to me. Truth be told, I’m in the same boat of roller-coaster like change as you. It’s nerve wracking at times! But I am glad to be learning that I am not supposed to be enough and that Jesus is enough, and that in Him I will always have enough.
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Amen! ❤
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Thank you! =)
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A great post for this time of year!
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Thanks Andy!
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Man you are on a roll today
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Haha! Thanks!
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