Is God Good?

This question has came up in conversation and in a book I was reading today The Holy Wild.  Last night it came up in our youth bible study and today It has really made me think and even frustrated.  

Do I believe He is good?  

Sometimes I feel it. 

Sometimes I know it.  

Sometimes I have no idea!  

I know He loves the World. But the question always asked is... 

"Why do bad things always happen in this world to good people if He is a good God"?  

We can't prove it to someone who has never know God is good, 

half the time we can't even prove it to ourselves.  Is He Good?  

The Bible shows He is good, but it also shows so much bad and people hurting.  What about Job his whole life was shaken and destroyed, and Mary, Jesus Mother, watching Him die on a cross.  That wouldn't have felt good, was she thinking about how good God was?  

Even "Jesus called out My God, My God, Why have you Forsaken Me". 

 I believe God is good, everything in me believes it.  But then I lack faith, trust, and contentment in Him.  

So am I living like He is good?  

I have seen death, I have seen the pain, hurt, and anger it leaves people feeling. But I have also seen people in those situations praise God.  Praise Him through their despair and hurt.  The book told a story of a mother who lost he son and praised God through it.  I have also seen with my own eye's two families that have praised in their hurt.  One when I was about 19 years old and lost a friend, someone I went to high school with.  His parents worshipped God even though their son died in a car accident, one of the most unlikely people you would have ever guessed.  He had life in him. He seemed to be going through a hard time in life though testing if he thought God was good or not.  I had conversations with him about this and regret these were the last things we talked about. I figured he had time to have these experiences and then get back to living for God, but he lost his life instead.  Also 2 years ago we had a tragedy in our community and church family.  My husband had grown up with him from birth, their families did everything together, the holidayed together, got into mischief together, but around high school drifted apart because of different interests and schools.  As young men they became friends again and we were all in a cell group together sharing life.  He was starting to come out of his shell and talking about God and where he was at with the group, he was going to be in our wedding.  He was supposed to sing a song in front of our congregation on the Sunday but on the Saturday night he ended his own life.  His girlfriend had been calling me saying she couldn't reach him,  and that she was very worried.  After not hearing from him for ages a friend went with his brother-in-law to the house and found him.  I remember the phone call and look on my friends face when she received it, our worst fear was the truth. Me and a couple other girls then had to go and tell the girlfriend what had happened.  It was a long and hard night a night that didn't seem to end.  The man who died's brother-in-law and sister came to the house to help console the girlfriend.  They were praising God and praying to Him for help, for her, them, and the parents who where away at the time.  It was some of the hardest couple months I think I have experienced with a group of people it effected our whole community.  I didn't know him that well but it changed everything.  Some people were angry, some people were hurt, and some people praised God.  Our church hung on to the hope God is good and would look after the hurting family.  I have never seen such strength in the parents, sister and her family as I did that year.  I guess through that experience I almost have to say God is good.  If I can't say that then what do his family have to hold onto?  

They have recently been going through other trials with selling their house and

 they are still telling us all "God is Good" and "He has a plan".  I have to believe it.


Jeremiah 29:11 (TNIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.