One of the things that I’m grateful for in the modern church is there has been an awakening to the truth that God is good, and there has been an intentional focus on communicating and displaying that goodness to the world. We have been very intentional about re-shaping our narrative of the Father, making sure that He is portrayed as good. For many years, there was a harshness/hardness to the image that we projected of the Father, presumably due to the conflicted or downright negative experiences that many believers had experienced with their own earthly fathers. It’s been so refreshing to experience the church’s move towards expressing the goodness of the Father through messages and songs. One of the songs that has deeply resonated with me and with many is King of My Heart by John Mark and Sarah McMillan. The chorus of the song simply repeats over and over again the line “You are good, you are good…”
As that song resonated in my heart and occupied a permanent space on most of my playlists, I became aware that as I sang along and listened to the lyrics, my heart was engaged with the idea that God is good, but there was something about my posture that seemed a little…detached. I realized that it had become pretty easy for me to declare to myself and to others that God is good, but my belief was more that God is good…in general. Meaning, I had found it easy to accept the truth that the Father’s heart towards His children was good, and that He was (and is) relentlessly pursuing all mankind. But, that was more of a universal idea, like God is good to the world and all his children, and I’m part of that big group of people.
It’s not too difficult to sing and declare that God is good, in general. But it’s a whole different (and deeper) thing to embrace the idea that God is good…specifically…to me. I think it’s deeply important to complete this progression in our hearts: that we reach a place where we not only sing “You are good (in general),” but we move to a fuller realization that “You are good (specifically to me).”
Yes, He’s good in general. That’s our primary message to the world. But He’s also good specifically.
Our nature as people is to look at what’s next: upcoming events and commitments on the calendar, looming bills that could arrive any day in the mailbox, and a seemingly uncertain future that seems bound to bring new challenges that will require even more from us. While our nature will always be to look towards what’s next, I believe that it’s healthy to pause and look back at the times when God has been good…specifically. Think back over the past year. How did He come through for you, in a big moment or a small one? How did He bless you? How did He take care of you? Who did He send your way? In these and other ways, how did He prove to you that He is good?
When we recall and remember these times, it galvanizes our faith and makes it so much more personal, so much more intimate, and so much more real. My prayer is that as you recall the ways that He has proven to be good to you, you will experience a deeper and more profound ability to allow that goodness to birth levels of faith and hope in you that will be an anchor for your soul.
The words of the song don’t need to change, but if we adjust our approach to the lyrics just a tweak, I believe that we will truly be able to say
“Yes, you are good, in general. But also, you are good specifically.”
for underdogs & kings... 