Let me repeat. God is good! Always!!
Shortly before Betsie Ten Boom died in a prison of war camp, she passed on this truth to her sister, Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie was so profoundly impacted by this simple truth that she mentioned it in most of her books and her speaking engagements.
“Often I have heard people say, ‘How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!’ Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. ‘No, Corrie,’ said Betsie, ‘He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: ‘For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.’ “
Corrie concludes, “There is an ocean of God’s love available – there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love – whatever the circumstances.”
Although I have not faced anything close to the horrors of a Nazi prison camp, I have faced times of darkness and discouragement. I have been betrayed and rejected by those who I counted as my intimate friends and fellow workers in Christ. I have sat helpless as I watched my best friend, a wonderful mother of two, die of cancer. I watched as her family fell apart after her death. I have witnessed great injustices and prejudices. I have seen loved ones sink further into the ravages of sin despite prayer and fasting for them. I have slipped into the dark seas of depression on more than one occasion. I have not drowned in my despair, and I have not given up and walked away. Those who know me well say that I am just too stubborn to give up and I tend to agree with them. However, I also believe the Lord has gifted me with an unshakeable faith in His innate goodness. His goodness is as much a part of His nature as my brown eyes are a part of my physical make-up. Dark and confusing circumstances do not change the basic nature of God. His mercies, His goodness, and His love never waver.
At some point in my Christian walk, I determined to choose to believe that God is good. Always. His goodness has become my anchor. I cannot rely on my circumstances or allow my ever-changing emotions to be my points of reference. I cannot allow my worldview to be determined by anything except His character — His unchanging, always trustworthy character.
Until next week,
© 2016 Katherine Walden