My mom shared with me a conversation she had with one of her neighbors. He questioned how God could let something bad happen to one of his “good” people. Mom shared with him that God didn’t promise us an easy life, but that He is always with us. Her neighbor said he didn’t “buy into that” and they parted ways. I guess, in his eyes, Mom wasn’t upset enough with my diagnosis. His doubt is really a classic one. And I’m certainly not going to shed new theological light on the answer for that this evening, but I have to admit, their conversation has echoed through my mind the last couple of days. It left me so sad.
Have you ever known someone so wonderful that you just can’t wait for so-and-so to meet him or her? I have. When I met my now husband for the first time I had just moved back to my hometown from Texas. I fell head over heels in love with him and knew we’d be together forever. The only thing that felt incomplete was that my Texas friends didn’t know him. They only knew what I told them. They knew my enthusiasm and joy. They sensed my happiness. They couldn’t, however, claim to have a friendship with him. I remember one friend cautioning me from getting too close. He told me he just didn’t want me to get hurt. He claimed some sort of responsibility for protecting me. The problem was, he didn’t know what he was talking about. No amount of my defending or explaining would bring him to a friendship with my future husband. Only a face-to-face, authentic encounter would do that.
The feelings I had (and still have) for my husband pale drastically in comparison to how I feel about my God. And it’s because I know Him and love Him that I don’t doubt His goodness. No amount of my talking about it may convince others, but living in that assurance just might. Walking confidently down this road does not mean that I will never be afraid. It’s just that I know who is holding my hand. Only someone who has had a face-to-face, authentic encounter with my God can even begin to grasp His goodness.
Now, I’ll admit, my Texas friend was right. I could’ve gotten hurt. I was in love with a human being who sins and sin often hurts the ones closest to us. I didn’t claim that my future husband was perfect...just perfect for me. The difference with God is huge. He is perfect. He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him (Prov. 30:5). He is the One with a plan for my life, one to give me a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11). He answers me and is capable of great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3). He is the only One who has the strength needed to be my rock, my fortress, my high tower (Ps. 144:1-2).
You really have to meet Him and spend time with Him to understand His goodness. For too many years I acknowledged God’s goodness as just another one of His intangible attributes. It wasn’t until I began to trace His story, and study His word that I finally began to see evidence of His goodness on every page of scripture. That’s who He is. And I’m certain that my times could be in no better hands than His.
“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand.” Psalms 31:14-15a
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