I attended the Legacy Disciple Conference this summer in Chicago. The conference’s mission is to equip men and women who are serious about being disciples of Christ to make disciples for Christ. At the conference some girlfriends and I waited for Dr. Karen Ellis after her workshop to glean any wisdom or teaching that we could from her. In our discussion, the topic of marriage and singleness came up. She shared a piece of advice with us that she once received: if you never get married, you have to decide that God is still good.

The Planner in Me

This left an imprint on me. I’m a planner. I have the next five years of my life planned and I have become slightly obsessed with time. But since I know that our God is in the heavens and he does all that he pleases (Psalm 115:3), I am beginning to realize that maybe my life will not go the way I planned. This leaves me anxious. I am in awe of God’s constant grace in my life, and I take joy in his sovereignty, but when I think that this sovereignty might erase most of my life plans, I am uneasy. If my dreams are trampled on like fallen leaves or discarded like a used tissue, will I still consider God good?  This is what I have to decide. This is what we have to decide every day.

God’s Goodness

I know that he is indeed good, the God who forgives all of our sin (Psalm 103:3). His love is a sure thing (Psalm 103:17). Knowing and embracing this love, along with believing that God is sovereign and works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) will cushion the blows of disappointment and heartbreak. The Lord takes delight in doing us good (Deuteronomy 28:63). In fact, goodness, mercy, grace, love, and faithfulness are his essence; that is who he is. That is his name (Exodus 34:5–7). Even the best part of our lives do not equal what God is to us. We have no good apart from him (Psalm 16:2). These are facts, but often circumstances and emotions dictate our reality. Instead, the Word should be dictating our reality. When it feels like God is anything but good to you, take a cue from Nehemiah and pray, “Remember me, O my God, for good” (Nehemiah 13:31).

If…Decide

If your engagement is terminated, or if friends leave you, decide that God is still good. If cancer comes to your family, or if your Chase account is currently at $6, decide that God is still good. If graduation seems impossible, or if your spouse struggles to come home at night, decide that God is still good. If your car breaks down again, or if your infertility daily sucks your joy, decide that God is still good. If you can’t stand to look at your body in the mirror, or if you’re still unemployed, decide that God is still good. If the wicked continue to prosper, or if you are single at the age of 40, decide that God is still good. And if I never end up in New York City, raising 4 or 5 beautiful and unruly kids with a beloved husband, God will still be good to me, because he is indeed good.

Question: What evidence of God’s goodness is apparent in your life?