Goodness and Mercy? Yeah, Right

When it all looks bad from here...

I know so many people going through a tough time right now.  Marriages are falling apart, loved ones are sick and dying, children are rebellious.  Families are separated, friends are betraying one another, and believers are drawing lines in the sand instead of drawing arms around each other.  There is heartache and pain, confusion and suffering around every corner.  Every person can name at least a handful of people they personally know who are facing something ugly.

Why all the bad stuff?  What did we ever do to get into this mess?  When will the good times return?  

Where is God in all of this?

I think that's all we really care about.  Where's God?  How could He let this happen?  Why won't He answer me?  Why won't He make this all go away?  Even non-believers have to chime in:  Why would a loving God let this happen?  If He didn't stop it, then is He real?

The problem lies in the belief that we deserve to have good things happen to us all the time and never have anything bad happen.  Once that thought takes root, it's easy to jump into the deep waters of "Why me?"  The truth is, "It's everyone."  

In order to dispel the myth that we deserve goodness, let's look at a few verses: 

Psalm 14:3 - "There is no one who does good, not even one."
Psalm 53:3 - "There is no one who does good, not even one." (Yes, these two verses are identical.  Look them up. David repeated this idea for emphasis.) 
Romans 3:12 - "No one does good, not a single one."  (Paul repeated David's confession.)
Romans 7:18 - "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."

In four short verses, we can see that, although we want good things, we want to do good things, it is not within our human power to obtain them.  It's not a matter of deserving good things, it's a matter of not having the ability to create good things on our own.  This is why our families are in jeopardy - we cannot mend them.  This is why illness and death is creeping in - we cannot heal them.  This is why the church is struggling - we cannot reach them.  Anyone who's ever thought, "It's not getting better because I'm not good enough" or "I didn't try good enough," needs to face a hard truth:  Things aren't getting better because we aren't good.  Period.  There can never be "good enough" if there was never any good to begin with. We, as individuals or as a group, will never make a difference on our own.  How could the same humans who got ourselves into failed relationships and environmental illnesses ever expect to get ourselves out of it?  We can't! 

BUT WAIT!  There's more!

I don't want you getting depressed or discouraged right now.  I needed to point out a basic flaw in our belief system before encouraging you in the reality of the situation.  So what's our hope?  Look at this! 

Mark 10:18 - "And Jesus said to him,  'Why do you call me good? There is none good but one, that is, God."  

James 1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father."

Jesus Himself said that He isn't good?!?  That's right!  As He walked this world with us (as a human, not in this present time), He recognized that He was bound to the authority of the Father just as we are.  Jesus did nothing of His own will, but only obeyed God (John 5:19).  He was pointing out that everything started with God the Father, including goodness.  God is the Author of all things good.  It is He who supplies any goodness we see, create, and experience.  It is not dependent upon our deserving it or our belief in Him.  It is His to give at will, according to His desire.  (Side note:  I love this song!  It's upbeat but simple - "Every Good Thing," by The Afters. Good message of reminding us where it all comes from.)

So now that we can see that God is in control of all things good and we are not, what does that mean for the bad stuff?  Doesn't this make a case for Him withholding His goodness when these bad things happen?  Absolutely not!  Keep reading: 

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." 
Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." 
1 Timothy 4:4 - "Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks."

Our Father started the beginning of time with good plans!  (Genesis chapter 1 is covered with the phrase "It was good.")  And we are assured that not only does He have good plans for each of us, if we will love Him and live for Him, He promises to rework every bad thing into something good.  Here is our hope:  despite our lack of goodness, He is constantly using our bad decisions, our mistakes and our everyday lives as opportunities to bless us and bring Him glory.  He is GOOD!

But what about the really bad stuff?  Where is the glory in the abuse? Where is the blessing in the loss of a loved one?  Where is the plan for my future when everything is hopeless?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God."
Ephesians 5:20 - "...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

These two verses seem to be the same, but there's one little word change that makes all the difference.  "In" and "for."  So now they look like they contradict each other.  And what does it have to do with all the really bad stuff?  In 1 Thessalonians, Paul needed to encourage the new church in Thessalonica because they were suffering.  They needed some building up.  Like them, we have to realize that in order to allow glory and blessing in the really bad moments, the will of God is for us to trust Him.  While He never intended for us to suffer abuse or loss or devastation, He CAN use it.  So our prayer could be "Father, I don't like what's going on.  I know you didn't bring this into my life.  But I trust that You are in control. I thank You for being with me in this moment.  I thank You for the strength You are providing and the testimony You are giving me for Your glory.  As long as I'm in this, I'm going to continue standing with You."  We don't have to be thankful for the situation, but we can be thankful in the situation.

But the second verse says to be thankful "for everything."  So let's look at that.  Here Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus.  He wants to give them more instruction for a godly life.  His command here to "give thanks...for everything" is a reminder to give God the glory.  How many times do we petition the Father to hear our cries, to take away our trials and when He answers, we move on without a simple 'thank you?'  Why do we act as if (again) we deserve for Him to come through for us, but we can't display a few good manners to the Creator of the universe?  These two verses aren't contradictory, but complimentary.  When we are in the midst of a crisis, we need to be in constant contact with The Lord - thanking Him for His presence in the moment and thanking Him for His faithfulness to the other side.

There is a verse in the Psalms (23:6) that says "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."  I know there have been times when I have felt cold and alone in my struggle.  I surely did not feel goodness and mercy nearby.  Surely they were following me at a great distance.  And surely I didn't deserve any goodness or mercy after having gotten myself into such a mess.  But there's that word again:  deserve.  It's not about what we deserve, or what we've done, or where we're at.  It's about HIS goodness.  It's about HIS mercy.  The beginning of Psalm 23 is "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death."  I can't think of many darker places to be than that.  And yet, five verses later, God is promising His goodness and mercy.  

Our Father has given us verse after verse about His goodness He has toward us.  We often are too focused on the immediate catastrophe to remember what He's said.  So I'll leave you with several more.  I find it an odd comfort to know that there is nothing good in me.  It relieves me of the responsibility to do it all myself.  It takes the burden of success off of me.  Knowing that I can do nothing good apart from Christ in me, apart from the Father's promises means that I have the comfort in knowing that I don't need all the answers.  I just need The Answer.

Psalm 31:19 - "How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world." 
Psalm 34:8 - "Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!" 
Psalm 100:5 - "For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation."
Psalm 145:9 -"The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works." 

Are you hurting right now?  Maybe you are in the midst of one of the situations I named.  Perhaps it's something else.  I encourage you to find comfort in these scriptures.  Find relief in knowing that, whether you are in turmoil through your own choices or because it just is, you are being followed by goodness and mercy.  Give thanks to the Father in this moment, for His love and His presence.  There is a comfort in knowing that if you will turn to The Lord, He can use this for good. This is a part of your testimony to His love.  Others in turmoil need your words of salvation.

If you are in a season of joy and peace, I want you to remember to give thanks to God for it.  There is not one good thing in existence that did not come from Him.  From creation to invention, every good thing is from above.  Share your thanksgiving with others.  Share your testimony of goodness with others at peace.  Help them realize that they need to give God the credit for those things going so well.  We accomplish nothing on our own, but only that which He allows.  Remember to thank Him for all He has done with you and for you.