“Life is good.”
We hear people say it. The phrase appears on retail items like t-shirts or framed quotes. And the words roll off our tongues and scatter across our devices. It takes the spotlight when our online friend or family member has a new boyfriend, pet, car, or house.
Perhaps the words are in order when we land the ideal job, get a promotion, win a contest, receive good news on medical tests, or get anything that makes us feel on top of the world. But what about when life’s not good? I’ve never been a fan of the phrase and here’s why. Merriam-Webster’s definition of good is “The pleasant things that happen to people.”
I want pleasant things to happen to me. I’m betting you do too. Some days those things come my way, and I’m on cloud nine. On other days, life’s pleasant things stay far away. Maybe they go on vacation or visit my neighbor. Or the good things in life happen to all those friends on social media but not to me.
As Christians, our hope for good lies in God’s identity and character. He’s a good Father with a never-changing nature. The Lord overflows with love, goodness, mercy, hope, peace, joy, compassion, patience, and kindness. The things that matter and set levels above “pleasant.”
When life’s not good, I shift my focus from “Life is good” to “God is good.” Good is who God is. Life changes. God and His goodness never do.
God has plans for our good, brings good from all things, and offers hope for good in our future. When we say, hear, or see the phrase, Life is good, we should remember life can’t be counted on. Sometimes life turns out not so good. When it does, we can still count on good from God—goodness not of this world.
Root your expectations in God, not in things of this life.
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Thank you for the reminder of the unchanging principle- God is good, all the time.