Understanding God’s Goodness Through Jesus’s Ultimate Example

Have you ever found yourself in a moment of deep doubt, questioning whether God is truly good? You’re not alone. This fundamental question—Is God good?—is one that Christians throughout history have wrestled with, especially during seasons of uncertainty, pain, or confusion.

But what if we’re asking the wrong question entirely?

The Rich Young Ruler’s Question

In the Gospel accounts, we encounter a profound moment when someone approaches Jesus and calls him “good teacher.” Jesus’s response might surprise you: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but the Father” (Mark 10:18).

This exchange reveals something crucial about understanding God’s goodness. Jesus redirects the focus away from human assessment and toward the divine standard of goodness. But more importantly, Jesus’s actions throughout his life and ministry demonstrated an unwavering belief in God’s goodness—even when facing the ultimate test.

The Garden of Gethsemane: Faith in God’s Goodness Under Pressure

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane with an honest, gut-wrenching plea: “Father, if there is any way that we could not do this, that would be fantastic. But your will, Father, not my own” (Matthew 26:39, paraphrased).

Think about that moment. Jesus had the power to perform miracles: he had healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed thousands. If he doubted God’s character or plan, why wouldn’t he use that power to escape? Why wouldn’t he fight back?

The answer is profound: Jesus must have known that God was truly good, or he never would have endured what was coming. No rational person would accept such suffering for a plan they believed was flawed, misguided, or orchestrated by someone whose character was questionable.

Why Jesus’s Example Matters for Your Doubt

When we question God’s goodness-whether because of personal suffering, global tragedy, or unanswered prayers—we can look to Jesus’s example for perspective. Here’s what makes his testimony so compelling:

1. Jesus Had Perfect Knowledge of God’s Nature

As the Son of God, Jesus understood the Father’s character in ways we cannot fully comprehend. His willingness to trust wasn’t blind faith. It was informed confidence.

2. Jesus Faced Real Suffering

This wasn’t theoretical theology. Jesus experienced betrayal, abandonment, physical torture, and a brutal death. His affirmation of God’s goodness wasn’t from a place of comfort; it came through the valley of the shadow of death.

3. Jesus Had the Power to Choose Differently

Unlike us, Jesus could have legitimately escaped his circumstances through miraculous intervention. His choice to proceed reveals absolute certainty in God’s good plan.

Reframing the Question: What Did Jesus Know?

Instead of asking “Is God good?” when we’re struggling, perhaps the better question is: “What did Jesus know that made him follow through with God’s plan while still affirming that God was good?”

This reframing shifts our perspective from judgment to curiosity, from doubt to discovery. It acknowledges our limited understanding while pointing us toward someone who had complete understanding and still chose trust.

Practical Application: Living with This Truth

So how do we apply this perspective when we’re in the midst of our own Gethsemane moments?

Remember that trust doesn’t require complete understanding. Jesus asked if there was another way, demonstrating that honest questioning isn’t incompatible with faith. But he ultimately surrendered to God’s plan because he knew the Father’s character.

Look at the cross through resurrection eyes. What seemed like the ultimate tragedy became the source of humanity’s greatest hope. God’s goodness often operates on a timeline and scale we can’t see in our present moment.

Ground your faith in Jesus’s testimony. When your circumstances tempt you to doubt God’s goodness, remember that the one who knew God best trusted him most, even unto death.

The Bottom Line

You won’t carry out the plan of someone you don’t believe is good. You won’t follow through on a mission if you’re unsure whether what you’re saying is true. Jesus’s willingness to complete his mission is perhaps the strongest evidence we have of God’s fundamental goodness.

When doubt creeps in (and it will) return to this anchor point: The one who had every reason and every ability to walk away from God’s plan chose instead to walk it out to the very end. That’s not the action of someone deceived or uncertain. That’s the action of someone who knew beyond any shadow of doubt that God is good.

Your Turn

Are you asking yourself “Is God good?” today? Consider reframing that question: What did Jesus know about God’s character that you might be missing in this moment? His example invites us not to blind faith, but to trust grounded in the testimony of someone who knew the Father intimately and still said yes to his plan.