The Goodness of God by Penny Gowen
Good morning, church! It is such a blessing to be
here with you today. I want to share a message that is very close to my
heart—the goodness of God.
Now, let's be honest: when life is hard, when the world
feels heavy, when we carry wounds from the past... sometimes it’s hard to
believe that there is truly any good in our world. But the Word of God assures
us again and again—He is present and always our Abba Father, loving us and
helping us.
Today, we're going to see how God's goodness shows up in
four key areas of our lives.
1. God’s Goodness in Our Pain
Jeremiah 29:11 says: “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 a hope and a future.”
Now, these words weren’t spoken to people on a mountaintop.
They spoke to God’s people in exile, when everything looked
broken. And sometimes that’s exactly where God’s goodness finds us—in the
middle of our pain.
By the time I was 13, I knew more than most children about
the real world. Having been abused since the age of 4 and having a violent
alcoholic for a dad, I learned to observe people's behavior and look deeper to
see where it all came from. My poor dad watched his dad drown at 7—how horrific
for him. I could see how that hurt made him afraid, and being afraid made him
feel weak, and feeling weak made him feel vulnerable, and being vulnerable made
him angry.
But through everything, I grew stronger. I delved
into reading, so I had more information to work with. You’ve heard a part of my
journey with God, how He carried me through a childhood filled with fear and
pain.
Friends, pain does not cancel God’s plan. Sometimes,
pain is the soil where His plan takes root.
2. God’s Goodness in His Presence
Psalm 86:5 says: “You, Lord, are forgiving and
good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”
David wrote those words in a season of trouble. He didn’t
just experience God’s blessings—he experienced God’s very presence. And
I can testify: God’s presence was with me, even in the hardest years.
Through fear and loneliness, God gave me strength. He gave
me a hunger to read, to learn, to grow. I didn’t realize it then, but His hand
was holding me. Sometimes God’s goodness isn’t seen in changed circumstances
right away—it’s seen in the fact that He is right there with us, sustaining
us.
Let me ask you today: Where has God carried you? Where has
His presence held you together when life didn’t make sense?
3. God’s Goodness in His Surprises
Romans 8:28 tells us: “And we know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.”
“All things” means even the broken things. Even the
hard things. Even the things we wish had never happened. God works for the good
of those who love Him.
To love Him, we have to know Him and trust in Him! Amen!
How do we get to really know God? By spending quality time reading His Word,
praying, and always asking Him to guide us into a right relationship with Him.
Let me tell you about one of those surprises: At age 13, God
introduced me to my future husband. I was at a sleepover, and a double date
fell apart because their driver needed a date. They asked all 12 girls there,
and everyone said no. I felt bad for them, so I said yes. I wrote a quick note
and ran out—I was pretty bold for 13, having run away and hitchhiked to
Baltimore the summer before! What I didn't realize that day was that this cute,
kind of shy guy, Ross, would become the love of my life.
What looked like just a random decision, a silly little
teenage moment, was actually the hand of God moving. God’s goodness
showed up in that moment in a way I could never have imagined.
Everything I went through as a child had me pretty convinced
that my life would always be a horror show. But it wasn't. By the grace of God,
He brought together two people who love each other unconditionally and who support
and strengthen each other. We have 3 children, 12 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren,
along with several adoptees that have been added to our family just through
love! Amen! In all of our lives together, God has been right here with
us! Amen!
4. God’s Goodness Calls for Our Response
James 1:17 says: “Every good and perfect gift is
from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”
When I think about where I came from—how convinced I was as
a child that my life would always be a horror show—and then I look at what God
has done... my heart overflows. Friends, every blessing we have is a reminder
of His goodness. Sometimes we need to stop, look around, and count the
gifts, instead of counting the grief.
God’s goodness isn’t just something we admire—it’s something
we respond to. His goodness calls us to:
- Trust
Him, even when life doesn’t make sense.
- Be
patient, because His timing is not our timing.
- Praise,
to declare “God is good all the time,” not just when things are
easy, but especially when they’re not.
So I ask you: Where do you need to see God’s goodness today?
Where do you need to trust Him again?
Let me close with this: God is good in our pain, in His
presence, in His surprises, and in His gifts. I am living proof that God
can take fear, abuse, and hopelessness and turn them into faith, love, and
family.
Truly—God is good all the time! Amen!
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