It’s All Good

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]

Yesterday I wrote about one aspect of good. If you’d like to read that story first, go ahead … I’ll wait.

I’m sure you’ve heard the currently-popular expression: It’s all good. Today, I’d like to transform it into a question: It’s ALL good?

No, it’s not ALL good.

Yesterday’s story looked at our tendency to define good from a narrow, self-centered perspective. Good skiing weather may be bad cycling weather.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all relative. Some things are objectively, absolutely good, and some are objectively, absolutely evil.

Occasionally I encounter someone who subscribes to the theology of IT’S ALL GOOD. In this system it’s apparently sinful to label any circumstance as evil. The logic seems to hold that God is absolutely sovereign, so if He allowed something to happen then it must be within His will. And if it’s God’s will, then it must be good.

I don’t agree.

Good?

As a new teacher, I worked with a young lady whose mother died after a particularly horrible struggle with cancer. She came into my classroom one afternoon and sat for a long time, crying, and then she said something odd. She said she felt really guilty.

What do you think she felt guilty about? I thought of a number of possibilities, but I wasn’t prepared for what actually emerged.

She felt guilty for feeling sad.

Her mom just died, she’d watched her prolonged suffering, and she didn’t think she ought to feel sad.

Regrettably—from my perspective—her dad and sisters were committed disciples of IT’S ALL GOOD. God had decided to take their mother after subjecting her to a gruesome illness, and they believed she ought to be thankful and celebrate. No grief allowed—God’s will is good, no reason to mourn.

My student didn’t feel like celebrating, and she was now afraid that God was angry with her for feeling sad. This misguided notion of IT’S ALL GOOD twisted her perfectly natural and understandable grief into an even more frightening and confusing darkness.

Since that day, I’ve watched both of my parents and my closest friend die from cancer. I was sad; I believe Jesus was sad as well.

Twenty-two years ago I fell from a roof while installing Christmas lights. I do not believe God caused that fall. I believe Jesus shared my fear as the doctors told me I was permanently paralyzed.

And I do not believe God expected a grieving high school student to celebrate her mother’s suffering and death.

Some circumstances are undeniably evil. I’m thankful for the love of God who faithfully works for good—His version of authentic good—in situations where I see only pain and darkness.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [Psalm 23:4]

Not “around” the valley, or “over” it—I travel through the valley of the shadow. I’m not always grateful for that journey and its pain and fear.

I AM grateful that Jesus travels with me. That’s ALL good!

I’m curious—what are your thoughts about IT’S ALL GOOD?