Trust God’s Goodness in Suffering
Do you trust God’s goodness in suffering? Or have you found that you believe God is good until you are tested? Likewise, you also believe that God is sovereign over what happens in your life, that nothing happens by chance. However, when the unthinkable happens, God’s sovereignty collides with God’s goodness.
Suddenly, everything you believed about the goodness of God cannot be recalled because your focus is solely on your terrible circumstances. Then, not surprisingly, you find yourself accusing God instead of trusting Him.
Indeed, if Satan can get you to blame God when the unbearable happens, he successfully separates you from the help you so desperately need from your Father in heaven. It is therefore essential to know and believe what God says about Himself.
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” and the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. Exodus 33:18-19
The LORD further proclaimed that He is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet, He does not leave the guilty unpunished because God is also just. Thus, when you think the worst about God, it is not true.
As a father has compassion on His children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are but dust. Psalm 103:13-14
God Understands Your Suffering
There is no one good but God, declares the Bible. Therefore, unlike us, God remains good, even in the worst of trials. We may not understand His plans, but we can choose to trust Him.
The Son (Jesus) is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven. Hebrews 1:3
Ponder the fact that if God were to look in the mirror, He would see Jesus and His goodness reflected. Yet, even though Jesus is God, the Bible describes Him as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief because He experienced profound suffering.
Did you know that Jesus still bears the marks of the crucifixion for your sins, including nail prints in His hands and a spear wound in His side? So, when no one else understands your pain, you can be confident that Jesus does. Hence, when the bottom falls out of your world, instead of relying on your own understanding, this time, talk to Jesus, and you will soon see that God is merciful and His grace is sufficient to help you.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
Trust God’s Good Plan, Even in Suffering
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13
For many Christians, this verse is not what they signed up for because they don’t understand that the Bible teaches that those who follow Jesus will suffer. But without believing this truth, you will follow the devil into blaming God instead of believing that God’s goodness is achieving for you an eternal glory that far exceeds anything you agonize over in this life.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Christians who live for this world do not have an eternal perspective. Therefore, they do not seek the Lord regularly and primarily operate as if everything depends on them. So, when troubles come, they miss out on God’s goodness: The grace, comfort, and help that only Jesus can provide.
If being distant from God describes you, and you want that to change, come to Him, and He will listen. Tell Jesus everything that concerns you, for He alone is the source of all that you need. Moreover, God promises that your faith in Him will be rewarded.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. Romans 8:17
Trust That God is Good and Draw Close
We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
According to the Bible, the human heart is deceitful. Thus, God loves you enough to design tests that expose what you really believe about Him because He wants your head and heart to be in alignment. So, instead of putting God’s motives on trial, look at your hardships as opportunities to draw closer to God and, with His help, put your faith into action.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. 1 Peter 2:21
All who follow Jesus by faith should understand that they will suffer adversity in this life, but God promises He will never leave or forsake them. Therefore, don’t waste the difficulties God purposed for you by focusing solely on your suffering. Instead, seek to know God and watch what He can do. This alone will strengthen your faith in Him as you experience what you need by the goodness of His grace.
Jesus Endured Horrific Suffering for You
Jesus, who never sinned, drank the ultimate cup of suffering by dying on the cross for our sins in obedience to God. Therefore, Jesus understands that you want your circumstances to change and your troubles to go away. Because He too asked His Father to release Him from what He was about to face, if that were possible. However, Jesus also added, “not my will but your will be done.”
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Hebrews 5:8-9
God is preparing you for eternal life in heaven, so He uses the distresses of this world to conform you to look more like His Son, Jesus. Hence, God reveals and removes that which gets in the way of your complete trust in Him because He wants your faith to be proved genuine when Christ is revealed.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Satan Attacks God’s Goodness in Suffering
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him. Philippians 1:29
According to this verse, God sees suffering as an honor, a mark of a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. Yet sadly, for those who claim to know God, this is too radical, and they fall away. Therefore, view trials as a gift from God, not a burden. Because your faith in Him, even in suffering, serves as a powerful testimony to the truth of the gospel.
Did you know that Satan achieves most of his victories by attacking the goodness of God? This is because when we suffer, we tend to look only at our circumstances, so Satan has an easy layup because most trials and tribulations never support that God is good. Once you wallow in your misery long enough, game over, because it is impossible to continue in fellowship with God very long if you doubt His love and goodness.
Jesus desires a relationship with you so strong that He will be the first one to hear your troubles, not the last. So, if you want this too, acknowledge to God that presently, you don’t know Him very well, but you want to. God speaks through His Word, so begin to nourish yourself from the Bible daily, believe His promises, and engage with God in prayer. And be encouraged that believers in heaven are cheering you on as they, too, persevered by the grace of God.
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
Jesus’ Goodness Overflows in Suffering
For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:5
God’s Word has established that suffering has purpose in the hands of a loving God and is a regular part of the Christian life because it is only through trials that your faith is perfected and proved genuine.
So, when your afflictions don’t seem designed by a loving God, ask Him to strengthen your faith, especially when things don’t make sense. Then, turn your focus to Jesus, believe His Word, and you will experience the goodness of God’s Presence in His compassion, comfort, and support.
Assuredly, God has a purpose for the hard places you find yourself, so believe that God is good and trust His plans when they are not yours. Because adversity will teach you to rely on God, and when you do, you will find that He is enough. Therefore, count it a privilege to know your Creator through suffering, as He is preparing you to live in heaven with Him for eternity. Indeed, God is holy, righteous, and good. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
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Week 1: Genesis 1:31; Exodus 33:12-23; 34:1-10, 29-35; Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Nehemiah 9:16-21, 25; Job 1:21-22; 2:9-10; 5:6-9, 17-18; 23:10-12; Psalms 9:9-10; 13:1-6; 16:1-2, 5-8; 23:1-6; 25:1-5, 16-18; 27:13-14; 31:9-15, 19-20, 24; 32:1-11; 33:4-5, 20-22; 34:1-22; 42:1-11; 55:16-19, 22
Week 2: Psalms 56:3-4, 8; 57:1-2, 10; 61:1-4; 62:1-2, 5-8, 11-12; 73:23-26; 68:4-6, 19-20; 84:5-7, 11-12; 92:12-15; 94:17-19; 100:1-5; 103:1-22; 107:1-43; 109:21-22; 119:28, 49-50, 65-68, 71, 81, 89, 105; 121:1-8; 123:1-4; 136:1-26; 138:1 8; 142:1-7; 143:8-10; 145:1-21; 147:3, 11; Proverbs 8:4-7-17, 32-36; 14:10, 13; 17:3
Week 3: Isaiah 26:3; 30:15-21; 41:10, 13; 42:3; 46:9-10; 53:1-12; 54:10; Jeremiah 9:23-24; 17:5-10; 29:11; 32:17-19, 26; Lamentations 3:19-26, 32-33, 37-40; Daniel 3:16-18; 4:34-37; Micah 6:8; 7:7; Nahum 1:7; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Matthew 5:4, 7:7-12; 16:24-28
Week 4:Mark 4:35-41; 10:18, 29-31; 14:32-36; Luke 1:37-38; 6:27-36; 11:11-13; 22:42; John 3:16; 13:7; 15:5; 16:1-4, 33; Acts 10:38; 14:17, 22; Romans 2:4; 4:18-25; 5:1-11; 8:1, 5, 16-18, 28-29, 35-37; 10:8-11; 12:1-2, 12; 1 Corinthians 1:1-11; 10:13; 15:57-58
Week 5:2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 4:6-18; 5:1, 7, 14-15; Galatians 5:22-23; 6:10; Ephesians 2:10; 3:16-20; 5:1-21; Philippians 1:27, 29-30; 2:1-11, 13; 3:3, 7-14; 2:13-16; 4:4-7, 11-13, 19-20, 23; Colossians 2:6-7, 9-10; 3:1-4, 15; 1 Thessalonians 3:2-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; 2:16-17; 3:3-5
Week 6: 1 Timothy 5:5; 2 Timothy 1:7; 11-12; 3:10-17; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 1:3; 2:10-18; 5:7-14; 10:35-36; 11:1, 6, 8; 12:1-13; 13:5-8, 20-21; James 1:12, 17; 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13; 2:2-3, 19-25; 3:13-18; 4:1-2, 12-19; 5:6-11, 19; 2 Peter 1:2-11; 1 John 1:5; 4:16-18; 5:3-5; Jude 24-25; Revelation 1:8-9; 2:10
Really good!