The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26 (ESV)

Quite often, one hears the maxim ‘God is good all the time’ being uttered during a Christian meeting (together with its refrain ‘and all the time, God is good’).

There is truth in this maxim, however, I think that believers should consider it in the light of the entirety of Scripture.

We know that there exists a general goodness of God to all humanity (which, in some theological circles, is defined as ‘common grace’), and we find this mentioned in verses like Psalm 145:9: “The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.”

Under the umbrella of God’s general goodness, God makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good, and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)

However, for believers who meditate on the maxim that ‘God is good all the time’, oftentimes, they are thinking about how God can meet particular needs in their lives.

That said, it seems that besides a general goodness of God, there also exists a conditional goodness of God.

Specifically, the conditional goodness of God is reserved for those who wait for Him, for those who would seek after Him (Lamentations 3:25).

Indeed, for those who would seek after God, the Scripture adds that they it is good that they should wait patiently for God’s help (Lamentations 3:26)

Some of us may be going through a dark period, a period that is as dark as the darkest night.

However, it is by faith that we get through the night and hope for a brighter morning.

And what is the anchor for this hope? It is the knowledge of the nature of God, in particular, of His steadfast love and his mercies:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24