“The Lord is good, A strength and stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refuge and trust in Him. [Ps 1:6; Hos 13:5; John 10:14, 27]”
Nahum 1:7 AMP
The year has come to an end and while many may want to be holding something tangible to show how this year was, one thing remains true and that is the goodness of God. I don’t know how your year might have been, maybe you are bruised, still waiting or can’t even describe 2025, I’m writing this to remind you that in-spite of it all our Heavenly Father is still good. This is who He is, it’s His true nature. His goodness is enough to testify about, it’s not depended on what we’ve done or who we are. Being good is who our God is. When God saw how wicked the people of Nineveh were, He sent a message to Jonah to proclaim judgement against them. Even thou Jonah did not listen the first time, when the word of the Lord came to Him again he quickly started going around proclaiming God’s judgement to the people. While he was doing this the bible says that the Ninevites went on a fast, asking God for forgiveness. Jonah 3:10; “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” God of mercy heard His people’s plea for forgiveness, when Jonah realised this he was upset with God. “He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”Jonah 4:2 NIV. No amount of evildoing could change who God was, a loving Father, One who hears His children when they call Him. The Nenivites called on Him and He heard them, He showed His mercy and forgave them. If God could still be good to people who had turned their backs on Him what makes you think He is not good to you? You are His and nothing in this world will change that.
Imagine if we would choose to focus on God’s goodness no matter what we go through in this life, what if our vision was clouded by how good God is? Sometimes circumstances can steal away the truth we know about our Father. If we can remember the people we live with in the midst of our trials, then why would we forget the God who saw us worthy of forgiveness and gave us eternal life? No amount of trial or tribulation should remove this truth from our souls. God is good! When I was young I heard a lot of elders in our church greeting one another like this. Instead of saying; “ I am well or good”, they would say ; “ God is good”. What matters in our lives is the revelation we have of God. If your understanding of Him is strong then you will be able to withstand anything. Look at Joseph, when his brothers got envious of him and wanted to kill him, Joseph saw God’s plan unfolding. Imagine what was going on in his mind when his brothers were arguing about what to do to him, to kill or sell him? Then one said; “Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.”Genesis 37:27 . Joseph was later sold to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s official. I wonder if the sight of another sunset would bring him to his knees in thanks to the Almighty. It wasn’t easy but the man continued showing up and doing all that he was required. The fact that he could still breath was evidence that God was still in it, our father’s goodness kept running after Joseph. Even in Potiphar’s house, when the wife screamed trying to set him up. Another drastic shift but Joseph moved anyway, he was put in prison with criminals but still he never complained. “the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.”Genesis 39:21-22. God made sure that His goodness surpassed all other things, Joseph’s eyes were only opened to God’s true nature. This made him trust God greatly and believe that more and better things are indeed coming. In a season he could have been distressed he served faithfully, focused on the One who revealed the dream to him. God healed him in his waiting and transformed him into a man of integrity, a man who will be able to carry out God’s plan and purpose for the coming time. God is faithful and He won’t sleep on you, He sees you on days you are feeling crushed and not sure of what’s next. His mercy and kindness is for all days, hold on to Him.
You are the perfect evidence of God’s goodness, no matter the state you are in now. Our Heavenly Father is moulding you on the inside, allow Him to work on you. Apostle Paul said; “Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option.”
2 Corinthians 4:8 TPT. See God’s goodness in everything. “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”Philippians 3:12-14 MSG. Refuse to let anything else take you out of this race, no matter how your year was you can still run to God. Let Him remove the dust, heal you, prepare and position you for what is coming. It’s big.
I pray that as you reflect on this year you be reminded of our Father’s love and kindness, may all of Heaven overwhelm you and cause you to see how good God is. I pray that Jesus reveals Himself to you in these holidays, may He wipe away pain and give you a reason to smile and dance. May God’s goodness and mercy follow you as you cross over to 2026, Heaven awaits you in the new year. Amen!