Guest post by Neely Beattie

In the beginning of the year, people asked me, “How was last year?" How do you think this year will go?”

My first response wants to be, "Kind of bad."

We lost my grandpa in July. We haven’t felt very good physically. We had to cancel plans because of things out of our control. Things went our way and things didn’t.

But if I sit and think about it, it was good. It was good because there is a blessing in every situation. There’s something in the works of every struggle and victory, even if we can’t see it.

Those words can apply to the past, the present and the future, because it’s all in God’s control. He means all for GOOD (Romans 8:28). 

It doesn’t matter what happened last year. Whatever it was, it was good. 

It doesn’t matter what will happen this year. Whatever will be, it will be good. 

Did last year feel good while it was happening? Maybe not. Will this year be easy and will all of our dreams come true? No. But we have been PROMISED, that whatever happens IT WILL BE GOOD. 

When He was creating the world, all things worked together to create this beautiful expanse we look at every day. Through every season of our lives, it remains unchanged. We can count on the sun to rise and set. And it’s good. 

When God created us and gave us these lives, He promised that all things work together for good simply because we love Him. Through every season of our lives that remains unchanged. We can count on the easy times and hard times. And they’re good. 

God, His love and promises, His creations, His existence, it always remains unchanged, and it. is. always. good.

Some of you may be struggling already, and it’s only April. Where some people feel a clean slate of a new year, you may feel like it’s a chance for the hole you’re feeling to get bigger. Despite it all, the struggles, the let downs, the joys, the victories, it’s all good. 

He’s working within us every day, tugging at our hearts, letting us know He’s working. Will we always see it? We may not, but we can see the good He’s already created. It’s all around us. It lives in our past, in our children, in memories. It’s in nature. It lives in the bible. It lives in Jesus. It lives in us, our hearts. And it. is. good.