The Goodness of God*

by Hannah
from Virtuous Daughters, September 2004~Volume 4, Number 6

​Dear Sisters,
 
Over the past few weeks God has just overwhelmed me with His awesome goodness, love and faithfulness! Do you ever wonder if God hears your prayers? Well, I just wanted to remind you that He does! About a month ago, I was a little discouraged and I just asked God to remind me of His goodness. I knew God was good; I just needed a reminder. Nothing is too little, small, or simple for God. God wants us to trust Him for everything!
 
Do you ever ask God for everyday things? Have you asked God for material things? What about little things you would like to have, but you just don’t have the money for?... We want to be careful not to put God in a box or be demanding of Him. We need to realize that God’s will is truly best and desire it more than our own. We need to learn to be content no matter what. :)

It is kind of neat the way God works! A lot of times the answer comes when I have learned to be content and most of the time I have already stopped praying for it. I would like to share with you several examples of this in my own life. I had just bought a new pair of white tennis shoes. But you know how white tennis shoes are! You never end up wearing them because they are so new and such a beautiful white, you wouldn’t want to get them dirty! So you save them for your best occasion.
 
Well, I wanted a pair that I could get dirty and not worry about. I couldn’t really justify it as a need since I already had a perfect pair of white shoes. This meant that it was just a want and I would have to pay for them myself. I didn’t really want to do this. God prompted me to just ask Him for them. Is the King of the universe big enough to get a pair of shoes? Yes, He is! A few weeks later at a family reunion a relative came up to me and asked me if I would like a pair of white shoes. I said sure. Guess what? The shoes were the perfect size!
 
God doesn’t always answer quickly. I don’t know if you have ever heard of a company called “Burts Bees”; they make all kinds of lotions, balms, and ointments with a natural approach. Well, they have a little kit called their head to toe kit. It has little samples of their more popular products.
 
It was around last Christmas that I first noticed these and I really wanted one. I didn’t have the money for one and once again God challenged me to give it to Him. Well, in payment for watching a friend’s birds I received a gift certificate and guess what? The gift certificate was to a company that carried Burts Bees at a cheaper price. I was actually able to get the head to toe kit and several other Burts Bee products that I had wanted to try! Isn’t God good?
   
The third example is about a way to make money; yes, God can provide a job! Can you tell God has been using money to teach me lately? When I considered my money situation, I found myself owing Mama $5.00. I was discouraged! No one likes to be out of money and still owing something when you get some! This was hard for me to accept! I didn’t even know when the next babysitting job might come along. They didn’t come very consistently.
 
God reminded me of the benefits of not having any extra spending money. It’s a good time to learn self-control! It’s good to learn to be content! I mean, think about it—all of my needs are met and more than just needs! I have a lot of desires that have been fulfilled also! I told God there are a lot of benefits I can learn from not having any extra spending money! “If that’s where You have me, then please help me be content! If not, would You give me a way to make money? I can’t think of any ways. I need Your help!”
 
A few weeks later, our neighbor went out of town and paid Sarah and I to water his plants. Week after that I got a babysitting job. Week after that I got my first violin student, which is more than just a moneymaking opportunity! I have prayed for a special opportunity to get to teach for awhile! Isn’t God awesomely good? Just this week another neighbor came over asking us to feed their dog for them while they are away. Not always does God answer prayers in the way we think He should. But God does care! God does hear and God has a plan for working His good pleasure in you!
 
Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 31:19 “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men!”

Psalm 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” 

Psalm 68:10 “Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: Thou, O God, hast prepared of Thy goodness for the poor.” 

Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” 

Psalm 142:2 “I poured out my complaint before Him, I shewed before Him my trouble.” 

Psalm 145:7 “They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness, and shall sing of Thy righteousness.” 

Matthew 8:7, 8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to that knocketh it shall be opened.” 

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
 
God is Good.