"What, if you lost it, would make you question God's goodness?"

-- Patrick Mead: Seven Ways to Die; Part One - "Pride" 22 March 2006
(available via Rochester Hills C of C podcast on iTunes)

When I heard this question I had to run and write it down. What an interesting query to ponder. I've certainly seen evidence of loss causing people to doubt God even exists - if they can't see God as loving then he can't actually be there. (Ted Turner comes to mind.) Yet there are people who have had losses and still believe God loves them and is good, even when things aren't going well for them. I suppose in some ways it has to do with how you define goodness. One way to define it could be God making everything hum along smoothly all the time so all his people are happy. Just a little bit of bible reading will show that to be a faulty premise. So, what exactly is God's goodness anyway? Inherent goodness comes to mind, but that doesn't really help. I suppose I'm wondering how God's goodness manifests itself if we are not describing it as making everything go our way. I have a couple of ideas, but would like to hear what others think.