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Following is the text of my talk given in Sacrament Meeting today — for anyone not familiar, that is the LDS worship service in which the congregation gathers to receive the sacrament.  After the sacrament, the rest of the meeting usually consists of “talks”/speaches/sermons from members of the congregation.  All lay ministry in the church, so we get to teach each other.  I hope this can serve as a resource for someone else.

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My assigned topic today is the Goodness of God.  I originally prepared to speak after Thanksgiving, and this is a very appropriate topic for that season — we have cause to be thankful in that we recognize that God is good, that all that is good flows from Him.  As the psalmist wrote: “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalm 107:1).

But this topic is certainly appropriate for every time of year.  The goodness of God is one facet of His glorious nature, but it can also be viewed as the overall summation of his being.  It is a character trait which applies to every other attribute.  God’s holiness is good. His righteousness is good, even His wrath is good.  God gives to His children only that which is good, and he withholds nothing good from us.

Understanding the nature of God is critical for us as disciples of Jesus Christ.  It allows us to trust Him without reservation.  It gives us the perspective to judge the events of the world at large, as well as the circumstances of our individual lives.  As Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

So the promise from the scriptures is that all things in our lives will “work together for good”, if we love God.  Why then do we see so many cases where it seems that the wicked prosper, and those who love and follow God have to suffer so much?

The same question was raised in Psalm 73:

“I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…  They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men… Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish…  Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.”

The psalmist here laments that the wicked seem to enjoy the good things in life: physical health, financial prosperity and abundance. But then his eyes were opened to an eternal perspective, and he was able to see the precarious situation of the wicked.

Reading further in Psalm 73:

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.  How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!  they are utterly consumed with terrors.”

The point of this isn’t to show that the wicked get to prosper in this life, but then are destroyed in the end.  Yes, the righteous do receive their reward in heaven, but I think we often overlook the blessings prepared for us already in this life.

Finally the conclusion of the psalm:

“Thou hast holden me by my right hand.  Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory… But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.”

It is good for us to draw near to God, so that we are able to recognize His hand in our lives, and see how He directs us for good. That’s easier said than done, however.

We may believe in the theory of God’s goodness, that He is perfect, infallible, and that following His commandments is the best possible good for us — that is the theory.  In practice, it is another story. We find it hard to trust God or anyone else in charge of our lives — but that is, in fact, the work of the devil.  He challenges our trust in God’s goodness: God is NOT good.

Satan encourages us to believe that we know what is best for us, that we know what will make us happy.  He whispers to us that following commandments takes away our choices, that it constrains us, and it isn’t really what we want.  He tells us that living the gospel is hard — it’s hard to pay tithing, to go to church every Sunday.  It’s hard to make time to serve others, and it’s hard to be different from every else.

Satan desires to lead us on the path away from God.  The world teaches us we are wise and enlightened when we think for ourselves and follow our own path.  But when we rely on our own understanding, we reject the wisdom of God and build our lives on a foundation of sand.  The more Satan can teach us to doubt God’s goodness and perfect knowledge, the easier it becomes for us to rationalize our sins.  We think we are in control, when in fact we are “wandering in strange roads” (1 Nephi 8:32).

It’s hard to trust someone else to be in control of our lives — in our mortal experience, we are surrounded by people who spend their lives making mistakes, so who wants to put them in charge?  But it is another matter to relinquish control to God, and to allow him to really by our Lord.

I’d like to share a little allegory that illustrates this, called The Bicycle Ride:

When I met Jesus, life became rather like a bike ride. It was a tandem bike; I rode in the front and steered, and Jesus was in the rear seat, helping to pedal.

I don’t remember just when it happened, but Jesus suggested we change places. Life hasn’t been the same since. Jesus makes the ride so exciting!

When I had control, I knew the way. It was safe and predictable, but rather boring–always the shortest distance between two points. But when Jesus got in the driver’s seat, He knew delightful “long cuts” up mountain roads and down again at breakneck speeds. It was all I could do to hold on!

I didn’t want to question His judgment, but once I couldn’t help myself. “Don’t You think we should slow down just a little? I’m scared.” He turned and smiled and touched my hand and said, “It’s okay. Pedal.”

Sometimes I got worried and anxious and asked, “Where are You taking me?”

“It’s a surprise,” He would say with a laugh. Gradually I learned to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered the adventure.

He took me to meet people with gifts that I needed–gifts of love, healing, acceptance, joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey–our journey, my Lord’s and mine–and we were off again. He said, “Give the gifts away.” So I did, to other people we met. But the strangest thing happened. I found that the more of those things I gave away, the more I had for myself and to give to other people we met along the way. And still our load was light.

At first I didn’t trust Jesus to be in control of my life. I thought He would wreck it. But He knows the bike’s capabilities and limits, and all sorts of tricks. He knows how to take sharp corners at high speeds, make the bike “jump” to clear rocks in our way, and He can even make it fly when the road disappears beneath us.

I am learning to not worry or want to get back in control, but just to relax and enjoy the view, the cool breeze on my face, and the delightful company of my constant companion, Jesus.

I still get tired sometimes because it is a long, hard ride, but Jesus just smiles and says, “Pedal.”

So that is the challenge we have, to trust in the goodness of God, and allow Him to direct our lives.  “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).  It is not easy, but somehow we must learn to let go of our own will and allow the Lord to steer.

Bishop Foster taught us last week about building a temple to God, transforming the humble cottages of our lives into a magnificent edifice.  It requires a partnership with God, in which we do have to relinquish some control.  But He can only work on us when we invite Him in, and to the degree to which we are willing to participate.

It is easier for us to trust what He might make of us, when we see the examples of His goodness in the lives of others and in the world around us.  I see God’s love in the physical beauty of the earth.  Whether it’s a colorful sunset, a mountain vista, or frost-covered trees shining in the winter sun, those are all simple reminders that the world was created for our benefit and enjoyment.

Another evidence of His goodness is that we are allowed to help in His work.  When I do projects around the house, I try to involve my own sons, so they can also enjoy the sense of accomplishment, and learn skills in the process.  We built a deck in our back yard this summer, and everyone got involved in putting in the decking, helping to measure, pre-drill the holes, and put in the screws.  There were a few broken drill bits, and some stripped and crooked screws, but everyone contributed, and the boys did good work.

When it comes to the work of saving souls (even our own), we get to participate in spite of our imperfections and general cluelessness.  It is a great testimony to me of God’s goodness, that He can work through us to influence others for good.  He can use both our weaknesses and our talents to bless others, and we are blessed in turn.

I see another manifestation of God’s goodness in the sweetness of family relationships.  It is a marvelous thing to be loved in spite of shortcomings, and to be able to return that love.  There is great power in the covenant of marriage, and it is one of the choice blessings our Heavenly Father has prepared for His children.

The greatest manifestation of God’s goodness is in the gospel of Jesus Christ — the “good news” to all His children.  The key element of the gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes it possible for us to repent and being cleansed, to be changed from a natural man into a child of God, and to attain some measure of goodness in our own being.

The prophet-king Benjamin taught his people about the natural man: “The natural man is an enemy to God,” he said (Mosiah 3:19). As part of our mortal nature, we have a tendency to resist God’s influence, His gentle persuasion to try to teach us and guide us.  As King Benjamin described it, we must “[yield] to the enticings of the Spirit.”  It is not a strident voice demanding to be heard.  It is a still, small voice that can easily be lost in the background.  But if we do yield control and let the influence of the Spirit work in us, we will be able to “[put] off the natural man and [become] a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.”

Putting off the natural man, and learning to trust God’s goodness is certainly not a simple process.  It is not accomplished in one step. Kind of like resolutions made at the start of each new year. Something touches my spirit and gives me the courage to change.  I start out full of conviction and good intentions, but then my enthusiasm wanes, and I may fall back in to the same habit.  Or perhaps I am able to master one weakness, but the Lord quickly shows me something else to work on.  Either way, part of God’s goodness is his patience and long-suffering, being ever ready to receive us.  His “arm is lengthened out all the day long” (2 Nephi 28:32).

As King Benjamin taught:

“And again I say unto you, that … if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you…” (Mosiah 4:11)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote:

“Of all the Father’s and Jesus’ perfected virtues, the two most to be celebrated in connection with the plan of salvation and the Atonement are their loving-kindness and their long-suffering, qualities which equipped Jesus to accomplish the Atonement.  These virtues in Him will evoke our everlasting praise.”

As we move into the new year, I encourage you to ponder the goodness of God, and to see His hand in your lives.  If you feel enticed by the Spirit to make changes, then by all means set a goal and resolve to do something more.

I know that God has a plan for each of us, and will ensure that all things work together for good.  I find that to be one of the most amazing aspects of God’s nature, and my relationship to Him.  He is all-powerful, all-encompassing, and yet, He is mindful of me.  His goodness is infinite, but it extends to me personally, and is individually tailored to me.  It is beyond my understanding, yet I know that it is true.