Sunday, October 24
For everything God created is good.
—1 Timothy 4:4
This is a favorite saying of a friend of mine. She works in the county jail, serving the mentally ill inmates. She has a cheerfulness that won’t go away.
There is something very important about recognizing the truth of God’s goodness. God is not only good all the time; God is all good, all the time. There is no darkness in God.
That goes against some teachings by some denominations. But I believe that it’s so. God is never the source of suffering. He uses the suffering we experience to help us grow in wisdom and compassion.
He uses the suffering we experience as an opportunity to embrace us with his comfort and love. But He does not inflict pain or misery on his children—and that means all of us on this earth.
When we do suffer, God hurts with us. He grieves at the tragedies we see in our personal lives and around the globe, day by day. Jesus wept when he looked down upon the suffering and divided city of Jerusalem. That is a snapshot of how God’s heart works. When we suffer, God is there with us. God cares. God comforts. We are not alone.
Suffering in this life comes because this world, being made up of human beings, is imperfect. Nobody gets out of this life without pain. But God is perfect and is all good, all love. We can count on that love, especially when we are in a dark place. God waits with open arms. When life gets scary, God yearns to encircle us with love. He is there, always.
Lord God, help us to know you as the source of goodness in the world; help us to turn to you when life gets scary. Amen.
These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2006.
