Do You Doubt God's Goodness?

Do you doubt God’s goodness? Do you fear He is not good to you?

John Piper said that you should “fear not trusting God’s goodness. Fear running away from God.” To combat fearing God’s goodness, look at the cross and His great love for you as His child. The world tempts and deceives us and can blind us from the goodness of God. God’s goodness leads us to repentance.

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4

Sin often starts by doubting the goodness of God. Isn’t that what led to the first sin? Eve doubted God’s goodness and believe the lies of the serpent that God was withholding good from Adam and Eve. If they ate the fruit they were told not to eat, they would be like God. Like Eve, when we are deceived, we believe we know better than God and disregarding His Word, we make decisions that cause further deception and blindness.

The truth is what sets you free and the truth is found in God’s Word.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32

Sin leads to entrapment and destruction. How does sin enter into our lives?

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14,15

So what can we do to rule over sin and not let sin have dominion in our lives?

1. Submit to God and draw near to God.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7,8

You are already “clean” as Jesus died for your sins and God sees you as righteous. To cleanse the dirt that build up from sin, you need only confess it and acknowledge to God that you recognize it as such.

2. Confess sin to God so you can remain in fellowship with God and have a clear conscience.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse

us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:7-10

3. Read and obey God’s Word. Value it as your salvation and survival guide to life.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22

4. Guard your heart.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

5. Know your identity in Christ. You are His child, you are loved, you are accepted and you are valuable. Walk in the newness of life in Christ and not in your old ways of life that cater to the flesh.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

6. Surrender your will and flesh.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for

righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14

You have God’s grace which is sufficient for all things!

7. Pray and seek God. Believe God’s promises.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfareand not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13