God is good. All the time

If there are only one of these devotionals that you end up remembering... I hope it’s this one.

God is good. All the time.

You will hear it said many times (I know I did) that “life is good!” Everyone says it. There’s even a successful clothing brand named after this saying. 

I don’t want to be a downer, but I’ve got to tell you that life is actually quite tough. Very tough for some. For those who have lost a job, it can feel as if the sky is falling. When a loved one who is very close passes away, the grief can be all-consuming. When a marriage or intimate friendship breaks down, life can seem as if it’s shattering into tiny little pieces. A friend of mine is suffering through some serious physical pain right now and is being offered little hope that his condition will ever change. Be attentive to your friends, family and neighbours. Listen to your own heart. It won’t take you long to observe that life is tough. 

Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have trouble.” Then he said, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” As Christians, we have this good news. We have bright hope for a glorious future. You can take heart, knowing that whatever you’re going through is only temporary, for we have peace — and eternal life — in Christ! You can also take heart knowing that your suffering, whatever form it might take, is not without purpose. God uses our difficult experiences to shape us and draw us closer to Him, developing growth and spiritual maturity in us for His glory, for our neighbours’ good and for our peace. 

God is good. All the time. Even in our pain.