Ever had those “When it rains, it pours” weeks? Days, months, years, maybe?

And you start to wonder, “Uh… God? You still there?”

Because you know He’s promised to be faithful and good to you, but none of this feels good at all.

 

My son has recently gotten super into sports. He’s always loved them, but he’s joining tee ball in the spring, so he’s just ready to go with all of it. Soccer, basketball, whatever. Bring it on. He’s a pro.

But. In every game he plays, if someone does something he doesn’t like, he yells, “Cheater!” And we’re trying really hard to explain to him: “Buddy, just because someone scores on you doesn’t mean they’re a cheater.” But in his mind, he makes the rules of every game he plays, so if he’s not winning, they’re cheating. He calls it how he sees it. And we’re like, “That’s not really how that works, man.”

I know… Sounds like a stretch, but hang on with me. I just wonder when we parade around the word “good” as it relates to God in our tiny minds if He whispers, “That’s not really how it works, man.”

But we’re calling it like we see it, too. Because we think He’s good when we get the news we wanted. We think He’s good when that extra check comes in. We think He’s good when we feel He answered our prayer the way we asked for. And don’t get me wrong, He is good in all of the good stuff. But.

God’s goodness has as much to do with the “good” stuff as it does with the other side. The heartbreak and the chaos. The inexplicable and the questions. I wonder if when we post on Facebook about wonderful things happening to us and praise Him for being good, if He thinks, “There’s so much more.”

His goodness isn’t tied to our blessings. His goodness is simply tied to Him – because He Himself is good, kind, and just.

When your body is failing you and reacting in ways no one seems to know how to fix – He is good.

When situations blow up in front of you, and you find yourself taking life moment by moment – He is good.

When you’re betrayed and lonely, and you didn’t deserve it – He is good.

When you feel like life is wrongfully punishing you for no reason – He is good.

It’s not about whether we see the results of His goodness or not. It’s about whether we see Him. And seeing Him is the gift we’re offered unconditionally when we choose Him.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” [Matthew 5:8]

A pure heart belongs to the one who’s seeking after God, not what He can give.

A pure heart trusts that God’s goodness isn’t defined by tangible blessings.

A pure heart is not fragile or ignorant. It’s strong and confident, because it trusts fully in the goodness of God’s character.

Listen, I know life is so messy. It’s so much more than messy. It might be fractured in a million pieces right now, and anything good feels so out of reach. So with all the sensitivity and empathy in the world for whatever it is you’re going through, hear this:

God is good. Not because of what you see, but because of who He is. And He is waiting to be found by you. Right where you are, surrounded by broken pieces of your life. He’ll pick them up for you, create something brand new that you never could have done on your own. It’s not about choosing a better attitude. It’s not about positivity over negativity. It’s about Truth.

Instead of seeking answers or a way out, ask Him for a pure heart. I’m in it with you.

 

God,

We’re human and we’re not God. You don’t expect us to get it all right. Forgive us for looking for the way out of our pain, when you’re waiting to walk through it with us. Forgive us for basing our view of you off of our circumstances. We want to trust you more than we trust what we see. You are good. Always. Help our unbelief. Give us a pure heart. We want to see your face.