Every time we scroll through the news, we see a world unraveling—violence, corruption, moral confusion, and tragedy at every turn. School shootings, drug addictions, human trafficking, and domestic violence. It’s enough to make anyone ask: If God is good, why does the world look so bad?
This question isn’t new. It traces all the way back to the Garden of Eden, where Satan’s very first temptation to Eve began with a subtle accusation: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). Beneath that question lay an attack on the character of God—specifically, his goodness. If Eve could be convinced that God was withholding something good, obedience would crumble. And it did.
Centuries later, humanity still wrestles with that same seed of doubt: Is God really good?
To understand goodness, we must start with God himself. Scripture declares that goodness is not merely something God does—it is who He is.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NKJV).
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you” (Exodus 33:19 ESV). Glory and goodness are intertwined. In other words, to behold the goodness of God is to glimpse his very nature.
The Hebrew word for “good” used in Genesis—tov—means “beautiful,” “working as it was intended,” or “beneficial.” When God created the world, He repeatedly declared it tov—good. Everything worked in perfect harmony: creation, humanity, and their Creator. But when sin entered, tov turned to ra—evil, disorder, and decay.
Yet God’s goodness did not end in Eden’s shadow. It became redemptive—restoring what was lost, transforming what was broken, and turning what was meant for evil into good (Genesis 50:20).
Our pain and suffering often tempt us to equate the presence of evil with the absence of good. But that’s not how Scripture defines goodness.
Even when evil abounds, God’s goodness is at work in ways we cannot see. He redeems suffering, disciplines to refine, and allows trials to cultivate endurance, compassion, and faith. The Apostle Paul captured this truth beautifully:
“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” (Romans 8:28 NIV).
The goodness of God isn’t fragile—it’s fierce. It’s the kind of goodness that can stand in the face of injustice and still say, “God will make this right.” It’s the goodness that sustains us when life doesn’t make sense, assuring us that God’s plans, even in hardship, are still good (Jeremiah 29:11).
If we want to see the goodness of God in action, we need only look at Jesus. His goodness was both tender and tough.
He healed the sick, comforted sinners, and blessed children—but He also overturned the tables of money changers in the temple, rebuked his disciples’ rash thinking, and confronted the Pharisees on their hypocrisy. Jesus’s goodness was not passive niceness; it was active righteousness.
True goodness doesn’t shrink from confronting evil—it exposes it for the sake of redemption.
It offers both compassion and correction, mercy and truth. In our culture of “anything goes,” Jesus reminds us that goodness without truth isn’t good at all.
We live in a world that often calls evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). But as followers of Christ, we are called to reflect his goodness in both our character and conduct.
Goodness (agathosune in Greek) is more than kindness—it’s moral courage expressed in love. It’s doing what is right even when it’s unpopular, speaking truth in love when silence feels easier, and extending mercy even when others don’t deserve it.
To “be good” in today’s world means being anchored in God’s nature and guided by his Spirit. It’s a daily decision to resist cynicism and embody the redemptive love of Christ wherever darkness tries to prevail.
Here are a few practical ways we can internalize and live out God’s goodness in a world desperate for it:
When the world feels dark, remember: goodness is not gone—it’s God’s fingerprint still visible on creation, still transforming hearts, still redeeming the broken.
And when you wonder, Is God good?—Look to the cross. The cross is where perfect goodness met unimaginable evil—and goodness won.
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
—Psalm 34:8
🎯 FAITH IN ACTION 🎯
Take five minutes today to reflect on one area of your life where it’s been hard to see God’s goodness. Write down how He might be working unseen, bringing beauty out of pain. Then thank him—not because life is easy, but because He is good.
Coming Up: Next week, we will focus on living out God’s goodness as we discuss ways to overcome evil with good!
Do you want to learn how to walk in freedom and cultivate God’s goodness in your own life?
Learn more about the fruit of goodness and explore additional thought-provoking posts on our Fruits of Faith Blog. Interested in going deeper in your faith? Consider joining our BibleSpot S.T.A.R.s Discipleship Program, a 90-day intensive study and coaching program beginning in January 2026. We hope to be an encouraging part of your spiritual journey!
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