Breathe Again: A 7-Day PlanНамуна

My brother-in-law Buck was walking the same path on his property that he did every morning when a deranged gunman stopped his car and shot Buck twice. When Buck fell to the ground, the man sped away. Buck survived the ordeal and our family thanked God for His goodness in protecting him. But what if he hadn’t lived? Would we have thought God good then? 

Two important questions we should ask ourselves are: Do I believe that God is good? And how did I form that belief? How you answer those questions determines how you’ll relate to God.

We all have a specific theology about God. It’s what we believe to be true about Him. Most people define God by their circumstances, what they were taught growing up or who culture says He is. 

If I was judging God based upon my outcome with Haven, it would be easy for me to say He doesn’t answer prayer and He likes to see people suffer. This isn’t true, but pain tells us many things. Usually we won’t hear it say that God is good. Pain wants to blame, and as we look for a worthy candidate to hold responsible, Satan’s finger is already pointing toward heaven like a blinking neon light.

But in all of this, God’s not silent. He stands up for His character and goodness in the middle of every storm. The Holy Spirit will reassure us of what is right, help us interpret Scripture, and shape our theology accurately. Which is why the only reliable sources to define what we believe about God are His Spirit and His Word. 

“If you base what you believe to be true of God on what happens to you in life, you will wrestle with God to your grave.” But if you choose to trust His Word, your heart will stay soft and full of life. 

Today, search for scripture that defines God’s character and ask the Holy Spirit to help you believe them in faith.