I had started to doubt the goodness of God. I was having a hard time reconciling the suffering of those around me with the notion of a loving Creator. My prayers and Bible readings weren’t helping. I was embarrassed to have such misgivings, especially being a global worker and all, but unfortunately, it impacted my trust in God.

About that time, I went to visit a friend for the weekend. She had a little dog that had been seriously ill to the point of death. Every day for two weeks, the vet had given him a painful shot. I arrived shortly after the last injection. 

As my friend was recounting her dog’s illness and treatment, I stared at him curled up next to her. His eyes grabbed my attention. They radiated love and trust toward his owner. Although she had taken him every day to the vet’s office, which meant nothing but pain for him, his faith in her hadn’t wavered. 

I heard a quiet voice in my heart ask me a startling question, “Is your friend good?” Shocked that there could be any doubt in the matter, I thought, “Of course.” At that moment, a second question filled my mind, “Am I good?” And then I understood. The little dog’s painful visits to the vet didn’t take away from my friend’s goodness any more than our suffering negates the goodness of God. 

More than anything, what spoke to me was the dog’s attitude. He loved and trusted my friend no matter what. He followed her around everywhere. He couldn’t understand what was happening – there was no possible way to explain it to him – and yet he believed in her love and the goodness of her heart. God desires us to be like that little dog. 

The psalmist encourages us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” In other words, as we get to know God, we can’t help but notice and experience His goodness. The Lord never promises a pain-free life, but He does promise blessings to those who trust Him.