Suspicious of God’s Goodness?

Christians can have a strange relationship with good things.

We rightly reject the prosperity gospel’s promise that following Jesus guarantees health, wealth, comfort, and an easy life. Scripture never makes such a promise. In fact, Jesus tells us to expect suffering, and James tells us to “consider it pure joy” when we face trials because God uses them to produce perseverance and maturity (James 1:2–4).

But in our attempt to reject a false gospel, we can accidentally become suspicious of genuine blessings. We can begin to think that if life is going particularly well, something hard must be waiting around the corner.

I recently experienced this in a small but revealing way. I had an eye surgery about a week ago and it went well! The surgery was successful. I can see better than I probably ever have before and yet I find myself hesitant to be hopeful and truly rejoice in God’s goodness.

A thought creeps in: Surely something bad is going to happen now.

Why am I reluctant to simply receive the goodness of God?

Perhaps part of the answer is that suffering has taught many of us important lessons. Trials expose our idols. They humble us. They drive us to Christ. Psalm 119:71 says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” We know that God sanctifies His people through hardship.

Yet we must be careful not to conclude that God only works through pain. Rejoice in God’s Goodness

Scripture also tells us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). God is not stingy with His goodness. He is a Father who delights to give good gifts to His children.

Psalm 16:11 says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” Joy is not a worldly compromise. It is not evidence that we have forgotten the seriousness of sin or the reality of suffering. Christian joy is itself a gift from God.

The Bible gives us permission to rejoice and even commands it (Philippians 4)!

When God heals, we can give thanks. When a surgery succeeds, we can rejoice. When a relationship is restored, a child comes home, a job is provided, a financial burden is lifted, or a season of peace arrives, we do not need to apologize for receiving those gifts with gratitude.

This does not mean the blessing will last forever. It does not mean another trial will never come. It means that we do not need to borrow tomorrow’s sorrow to ruin today’s joy (Matthew 6:34).

God is sovereign in our suffering, but He is also sovereign in our blessings.

The Christian life is not merely learning to endure what God allows. It is learning to recognize His goodness wherever He chooses to reveal it.

So perhaps, when God gives us a good season, we should resist the temptation to brace ourselves for disaster. We can hold His gifts with open hands, knowing they are temporary—but genuinely good.

And when the next trial comes, we will have the same faithful God.

Until then, we can rejoice.

Not because life is always easy, but because God is always good.

Brittany Proffitt lives in North Texas and is a writer and content manager for So We Speak.