Trusting His Absolute Goodness

I know many Christians, myself included, that have asked, “If I am working so hard to honor God, why am I still struggling?” It’s pretty common to wonder why bad things happen to good people. It is important to remember first that we are not the best judges of “good” and “bad.” The Bible gives us many examples of both righteousness and evil, but we still have a very limited view as humans. One thing that God did make perfectly clear is that all people sin and fall short of the glory of God. We might all agree that many people can be “good,” but we must also remember that no one can ever be “good enough” to earn salvation on their own. When asking ourselves, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” there are two crucial things to consider. First, no person ever has been nor ever will be perfect, except for Jesus Christ himself. Secondly, the world we live in is severely broken. 

Our world wasn’t initially created for sin and evil, but it is the unfortunate reality of today. Bad things happen to everyone every day. At times we can pinpoint exactly which of our sins are causing our current suffering. Other times, though, life throws struggles at us for no apparent reason, like when loved ones keep getting sick or when the check engine light goes off for the third time this year. God does not promise us a pain-free life when we become Christians. In fact, many of the greatest heroes of the Bible faced persecution because they were Christians. Just a few of these examples would include John the Baptist, Stephen, and Paul. Even Jesus, the only truly perfect man to walk our earth, faced immense suffering and death while he was here.

Faith is not always easy, nor does it guarantee us an easy life. What God does promise us, though, is that trusting in him is worth it. In his word is where we can always be reminded of his promises. To list just a few examples:

• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6
• “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” Psalms 37:5
• “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.” Psalms 9:10
• “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.” Romans 8:28

Trust is such a fundamental foundation in any relationship, but it is exceptionally important in our relationship with God. Above all else, God has promised that because of His love for us, we will leave this place one day to receive an eternal life of bliss with him. All we need is to simply have faith that our sins have been forgiven because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Trusting our Lord may not always be easy when we face hardships, but we can find our hope in his promise of working all things together for our good.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” Romans 5:3-6

Verses for further study: Romans 8:28; Psalm 28:7; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Acts 6-7

Song: Trust In You by Lauren Daigle