Many people have asked me this question quietly, sometimes in moments of gratitude, and sometimes through tears. We long to know that God is not distant or indifferent, but truly good — good in a way we can trust with our lives. Asking how God shows His goodness is not a sign of weak faith; it is the prayer of a heart that wants to see more clearly.
First, God shows His goodness simply by giving life and sustaining it. Each new day, each breath we draw, each small joy that surprises us — these are not accidents. In the Scriptures, we are reminded that God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good.” Even when we do not notice Him, His goodness quietly surrounds us in creation, in the order of the world, and in the gift of being alive at all.
God’s goodness is revealed most clearly in Jesus Christ. When we look at Jesus — healing the sick, forgiving sinners, welcoming the forgotten — we see what God’s heart is truly like. Jesus does not explain goodness from a distance; He lives it. On the Cross, God’s goodness reaches its deepest expression: love that does not run away from suffering, but enters into it to save us. This is a goodness that sacrifices, stays, and redeems.
God also shows His goodness through people and moments of grace. A word spoken at the right time, forgiveness we did not expect, strength given when we thought we had none — these are signs of God quietly at work. Often, He chooses to reveal His goodness through human hands and hearts, inviting us not only to receive His love, but to become instruments of it for others.
Finally, God’s goodness is sometimes shown in ways we only understand later. There are seasons when His goodness feels hidden behind pain or confusion. Yet faith teaches us that God is still good, even when we cannot yet see how. Over time, many discover that what once felt like absence was actually God patiently shaping the heart, drawing it closer to Him.
Reflection
God’s goodness is not always loud or dramatic, but it is faithful and enduring. May we learn to notice His gentle presence — and to trust that even in silence, His goodness has not left us.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
