Seeing God’s Goodness in an Instagram Culture

As a counselor, I have witnessed firsthand the refreshing power of a question. Sometimes questions can give us much needed revelation and clarity in our lives. The truth is that questions aren’t always about the answer, many times questions reveal the heart. I want to shed light on a few recent questions I have asked myself that have allowed me to see my own heart.

Would God still be good even if that means you won’t be able to do the things you yearn for? This isn’t to say God won’t grant you those things, but it is an important question to reflect on. Can God still be good beyond the highlights in our lives? Beyond the event? Beyond the recognition? Beyond the post worthy moments of our lives? Beyond the encouraging comments we may receive? Beyond the viral videos? Beyond the likes?

Is God still good even in the mundane, difficult, boring, futile parts of life? Is God only good to the extent we are able to do the things that make us look good, feel good, and make us feel adequate?

Could I still take God without the “blessings?” If all of a sudden, the outward recognition stopped, would I still be able to see God?

If you are at all convicted by those questions or unsure how to answer them, here is some perspective. God has always been big. So the problem of not being able to see God isn’t because of God. Perhaps the problem is with our own vision.

Can our lives mirror and echo Job’s heart in Job 13:15? The scripture says, “Though He (God) slay me, yet will I (Job) trust Him...” Job made this statement in the midst of tremendous loss and suffering. When it seemed as if everything and everyone in his life was suddenly taken from him, he still maintained trust and reverence for God, even if that meant he would die.

I wonder if we could echo Job’s sentiment in our much smaller frustrations in life. Perhaps our statements would sound like this:

“Though my picture on Instagram didn’t get many likes, yet will I find joy in Him.”

“Though people who have similar talents as me seem to get more recognition than me, yet will I serve Him.”

“Though I sometimes feel and think of myself as inadequate, yet will I cling to Him.”

“Though things have not happened according to my own timing, yet will I rejoice and trust Him.”

Here is another question for you to reflect on: What “Though” statements do you need to be real and upfront about in your life? Like I said, questions aren’t necessarily about the answer; they reveal our hearts. What does your heart reveal to you?

Has our Instagram version of God “filtered” our view of God? If we only see the goodness of God in the “highlights” of our lives, we have limited God and limited His goodness. God’s goodness isn’t filtered; however, God’s goodness is fulfilling.