GOOD?

As the journey continued, one of the next belief systems I had to challenge, was the definition and the thoughts around the word, “good.” I was taught that “God is good all the time!” and even attended churches that had us say that every week while at the same time declaring that “good” looks like creating pain, causing sickness and disease, losing patience, using punishment, turning away, and finally damning people (religion)! That idea of “good” never worked in my heart. I tried really hard to wrap my head around it, but my heart fought against my head and would never let it stick. It is like asking a child who is being abused by their parent to say that their parent is “love.” Do you see how confusing this is? How do you think this child will view love as they grow?

Luckily for me, I married an amazing man who showed me what “good” is! Even in my darkest hours, my husband was the perfect definition of “good.” He never gave up on me; he wasn’t afraid of my raw, raging emotion and knew I would say things out of pain that I didn’t mean; he saw past my hurt and wounds; he believed in me even when I couldn’t; he spoke words of life over me; he held me; he loved me; he healed me.

If a human being can be that “good” – can not God? Are humans better than God? I think not!

Religion tells us that God’s ways are higher than our ways and we just can’t understand that (icky, punishing, damning) kind of “good” – but that is not true. We are made in the image of God and have the mind of Christ, so we can understand “good” and love. The Bible tells us that God IS love and this is what that looks like: 

God is patient.
God is kind.
God is not self seeking.
Got is not easily angered.
God keeps no record of wrongs.
God always protects.
God always trusts.
God always perseveres.
God never fails.
(And more)

If it doesn’t look like that – challenge it! It is probably not God! 

Embrace the journey – it is what life is all about!