By Mubariz Mehdizadeh

Is God Really Good?

“Is God good?” No doubt many of us ask this common question from time to time. When we are faced with a tragedy or difficult circumstances, we wrestle with this question, which shows our human struggle. How can we find meaning in challenging moments of pain, death, and loss?

Whenever we consider the loving and compassionate people we know as examples of goodness, we realize that they would never deliberately cause us harm, never take away our loved ones from us, and never withhold opportunities for us to thrive. So, if God loves us and has the power as the creator of the universe to do anything possible, then how can we understand some of the horrible experiences people have had to endure? These experiences seem to suggest that God is not good or loving. Can that really be the case?

The Bible tells us that God is love. As 1st John 4:7-9 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” (NRSVUE)

The Bible also tells us that faithful followers have never been free from suffering.

  • The Hebrew people were enslaved by the Egyptians.

  • The Book of Job tells the story of a faithful man whose children were killed, whose wealth was lost, and whose health suffered; he, too, struggled with fully understanding his condition.

  • The apostle Paul was imprisoned multiple times. He was tortured, beaten, sentenced to death, and endured a shipwreck.

  • Many of the early Christians were martyred (that is, killed for refusing to renounce their faith).


Even Jesus was not free from suffering. Hebrews 2:17-18 says, “Therefore [Jesus] had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” (NRSVUE) This passage from Hebrews helps explain how Jesus chose to be at one with our humanity and experienced our suffering with us.


Is the suffering we endure really a test from God?

No, because God, being love, would never intentionally harm us. A loving God does not attempt to entrap us. A loving God does not inflict pain on us to prove a point. A loving God does not cause us to suffer simply to teach us a lesson. A loving God does not hurt us for some greater cause or purpose. Abuse, maliciousness, and callousness are not love. 


Instead, our loving God creates miracles.

When bad things happen to us (and bad things are always going to happen), God can transform both our experience and us in order to bring about forgiveness, greatness, holiness, and blessings. In the same way, it was not God who crucified Jesus Christ; his death occurred at the hands of the Roman Empire and the jealous religious leaders who resented Jesus. But when Jesus was crucified, God used that opportunity to bring about a miracle for all of humanity: the resurrection of Jesus, who conquered death and brought eternal life to us all.


It is God who specializes in redeeming and restoring us and in making all things new. No matter the situation or the circumstances, God is working to bring all things together for our good.


How can I experience these miracles?

God is always working to bring us blessings and hope through the toughest of times, but it isn’t always easy for us to be aware of what’s happening. We can improve our chances for understanding how God is working these miracles when we

  • forgive,

  • learn loving, hope-filled lessons from the experience,

  • make healthy choices for ourselves, and

  • step courageously into a bold and adventurous future.


We are always going to face challenges in life. God never claims in the Bible that the faithful will have easy and comfortable lives.


Yet Jesus promises us the Spirit of Truth (the Advocate) so that we will never be left orphaned or abandoned (John 14:15-18). What will our Advocate do for us? The Spirit will give us strength: the strength to overcome, the strength to survive, and the strength to become the best of who God created us to be.


We at Desert Mission pray that as you face the challenges in your own life, you will know from the truth of the Bible that God loves you and is with you and is actively working to bring about miracles that will strengthen you for the days ahead. Jesus Christ believes in you.


Postscript:

Sometimes we all need to talk to someone else who can walk us through particularly challenging experiences. If you are struggling with a crisis in your life that is causing you continued suffering, we encourage you to see a professional counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist. Some of these professionals are also pastors. But just being a professional or a pastor does not mean that a particular therapist is automatically a good fit for you. Use you own good discernment to find someone who can help you accomplish your emotional and spiritual goals and develop strong life strategies.


To read more on this topic, check out this post:

https://www.umc.org/en/content/god-why-have-you-left-me-what-people-of-faith-can-do-with-doubt