GOODNESS
“So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness.” 2 Peter 1:5 TPT (goodness: virtue, or moral excellence)
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Romans 15:14 says, “I know that each of you is stuffed full of God’s goodness…”
What a powerful reminder of what God has already poured into us. But notice—supplementing our faith means we have a part to play. It calls for action, for initiative. God will not do for us what we are fully capable of doing ourselves.
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He does not hand us good habits or character traits on a silver platter, nor does
He force us to walk in His ways. Instead, He invites us to respond to the work He
has already begun within us. As Philippians 2:12 reminds us, we are to “work out
our own salvation”—not by striving alone, but by cooperating with the grace He
has planted in our hearts.
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Scripture reveals God’s goodness in two profound ways: through His character
and His actions.
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Psalm 119:68 captures both—“You are good, and You do what is good.” God is goodness itself. He is morally excellent, extravagantly generous, and breathtakingly beautiful. He is the original definition of what it means to be good. Goodness encompasses everything He is, everything He has, and everything He longs for His people to experience. That is what Jesus pointed to when He said, “No one is good but One—God” (Mark 10:18).
And how do we recognize someone’s character? By what they do. God’s goodness is not only who He is—it is what He does. The Bible overflows with descriptions of His kindness, mercy, and unrelenting love. Psalm 145:8–9 says, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love… The Lord is good to all.” Despite our baggage and brokenness, God is for us. He is with us. He has our back. And because of His nature, He delights in pouring out goodness in extravagant ways.
James 1:17 reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above,” flowing from the unchanging heart of our Father.
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Even in hardship, God’s goodness is at work. Romans 8:28 assures us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” His goodness is not passive; it is redemptive and purposeful. Psalm 107 tells story after story of God rescuing His people when they have rebelled and suffered the consequences. When they cry out, He delivers them, breaks their chains, and brings light into their darkness.
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And nowhere is God’s goodness more vividly displayed than in the person of Jesus. Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” and verse nineteen adds that “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.” Jesus is God’s goodness in human form. Romans 5:8 declares, “God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” At the cross, we see goodness we could never earn—yet He gave it freely. Jesus took our sin and gave us eternal life in return. That is the heart of divine goodness: doing for us what we could never do for ourselves.
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But God’s goodness is not just something we receive—it is something we are called to reflect. Galatians 5:22–23 lists goodness as a fruit of the Spirit; evidence of a life rooted in Him. Romans 12:21 urges us, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Goodness is not weakness—it is a force for transformation.
Ephesians 2:10 says we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works,” which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. And Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) shows us what that looks like: goodness that is sacrificial, compassionate, and courageous.
As we walk in that goodness, our lives begin to reflect what pleases Him. His goodness does not just change our behavior, it transforms our perspective, fills us with joy, and radiates our relationships. Psalm 23:6 paints the picture beautifully: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow [us] all the days of [our] life.” His goodness is not a fleeting gift—it is a faithful companion.
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An Invitation to Experience
So, let us lean into that goodness—not just as recipients, but as participants. Let it shape our choices, soften our hearts, and stir us to love boldly. May we be known not only by what we believe, but by the goodness we embody. And in doing so, may we reflect the heart of our Father—whose goodness never fails and whose love never runs dry.
Psalm 34:8 invites us: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” That is not just a statement, it is an invitation. Whether you have walked with God for years or are just beginning to wonder if He is real, His goodness is something you can experience firsthand. It is not reserved for the perfect or the pious—it is for the hungry, the hurting, the hopeful.
As the song Goodness of God declares:
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All my life You have been faithful, And all my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.
Let that be our anthem—not just in worship, but in the way we live.
Devotional Reflection
God’s goodness is not a distant concept—it is a daily reality. It meets us in our weakness, lifts us in our sorrow, and anchors us in our joy. When we pause to reflect on His goodness, we begin to see it woven through every chapter of our lives. Let today be a moment of recognition. Look back—and notice the fingerprints of grace. Look ahead—and trust that goodness will follow. And right now, in this very breath—let gratitude rise.
For the Lord is good, and His faithful love endures forever.