It’s practically a cliché—God is good…all the time. You’ve probably said it or at least heard it said scores of times. It’s a nice thought, but do we really believe it? Is that statement actually true?

In Psalm 118:1 we read, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” Everyone wants to believe God is good, but do we actually believe it? When you say, “God is good,” are you honestly giving credence to the goodness of God or the positive outcome of a current situation?

Almost any time I’ve heard, seen, or made a reference to God’s being good, it’s in the wake of favorable circumstances. Unfortunately, this is often the shallow means by which we measure the goodness of God. However, God is either good, or he isn’t. If he is good, he is good no matter our current situation. He is good when he answers our prayers and when he doesn’t. He is good when our world is “perfect” and when it’s falling apart. He is good when life goes according to plan and when it doesn’t. He is good in the storm and in the calm, in the celebration and in the crisis. God is truly good all the time.

If our circumstances are the measuring stick of God’s goodness then it is no longer a part of his immutable character but rather a matter left to relativity. Let’s answer this question honestly—when do we pay homage to the goodness of God?

You see, God is good because that is who he is, and my circumstances have no bearing on the nature of his goodness. With Thanksgiving only a few days away, perhaps it would be a good time for us to “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good”…all the time. My prayer is that you will see God’s goodness in every occasion. God bless you, and Happy Thanksgiving!