Is G
od good?
I don’t know what prompted my husband to ask the question. It was an ordinary day. We were zooming down the road to Rachel’s (aka Pop Fly) softball game. Shifting into fifth gear, my husband turned toward the backseat and asked, “Is God Good?”
Rachel, our twelve-year-old, immediately answered, “Yes.”
Non-verbal sounds emanated from Andrew’s throat with a not-no-sure moan.
Chris asked again, “Andrew, Is God good?”
“Well….um…” He began.
Panic raced through my veins. Have I failed as a mother? I wonder. I pray, “Lord, why isn’t he answering this question? Lord, help him to know the truth.”
“It’s just that…” He continued struggling to form his thoughts.
Memories flash through my mind of all the bedtime prayers, family devotions, long discussions about hard topics, vacation Bible schools, and even private Christian school. Yet my fourteen-year-old son struggles with this three-word question.
Sighing, Andrew spoke, “God is good, it’s just that life is hard right now.”
Continuing he said, “Mom has an illness and is unable to work. Dad has all the weight on him right now. I broke my ankle and we need to sell our house.”
Keeping his eyes on the road, Chris nodded, “You’re right Andrew, God is good and life is hard right now.”
Turing to look at him in the back seat, “Andrew, both of those statements are true. The reality of our current situation does not change the fact that God is good.”
I realized the delay in Andrew’s response was not due to a lack of knowledge, but rather a crisis of faith. Deep down he knew the right answer taught by his parents, the church, and even his school. However, his teenage brain had developed deeper thought processes. Truth and reality wrestled in his mind.
There will come a time in everyone’s life when there is a crisis of faith.
Truth and reality will wrestle in our minds. Which one will win? Much of the outcome depends on our perception of God. Do you perceive God as good? If you struggle in this area, try this this exercise in faith: for one-week jot down everything, you are thankful. Big or small, write them down and give God praise for His faithful provision.
© 2017 April Dawn White, All rights reserved
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