“To understand someone’s theology, you need to understand their biography.”
A mentor shared that line with me when I was in college. As I studied men and women God had used throughout history, I became fascinated by the connection between what they had experienced and what they believed.
Our stories shape the way we see and move through the world. Sometimes, if you listen closely enough, you can hear someone’s story in the words they write.
When I first heard Brandon Lake’s song “How Good God Is,” I heard more than a declaration about God’s character. I listened to the perspective of someone who had learned that declaration through experience.
Lake wrote the song with Jonathan Smith, Emily Weisband, and Derrick Southerland during a songwriting camp he hosted in Nashville. But when Lake shared the song, he described its message in deeply personal terms.
“If God has been anything to me in this life, it’s been ‘GOOD,’” Lake said. “Even through every valley, storm, test and trial, I find that He is teaching me something and using it to make me a little more like Him.”
This perspective oozes from every line of the song. Healing taught him something about the Healer. Losing his way taught him something about his Savior. Weakness taught him something about God’s strength. Silence taught him how to wait.
Let's make one thing clear: this song isn't saying that the hardest things in our lives are good.
There’s a significant difference between saying “our suffering is good” and saying “God can bring good from our suffering.” Loss still provokes grief. Betrayal cuts us to the core. Cancer rocks our world. Abuse is evil. Following Jesus never requires us to gloss over something terrible, in order to affirm that God is good.
Three moments in the song especially remind me of passages in Scripture that describe this tension.
1. Weakness can reveal God's strength.
Lake sings, “Thank God for the weakness that showed me His strength.”
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul describes a “thorn in my flesh” that caused him significant pain. Three times, he pleaded with God to take it away. Yet, God's answer wasn't what Paul wanted:
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
Paul wanted God to demonstrate His power by removing his weakness. Instead, God demonstrated His power in the middle of it.
Have you ever prayed a similar prayer? It's tempting to interpret God's goodness through whether He gives us the outcome we want. But sometimes God's goodness isn't demonstrated by removing our weakness, but by revealing His strength within it.
2. Fire can forge our faith.
Later, Lake sings, “Thank God for the fire that forged me with faith.”
The writer of Psalm 119 came to a similar conclusion: “My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.”
What a surprising statement! The psalmist doesn't say affliction felt good. Instead, he says it was good “for him.” His suffering became a place where God formed him.
Trials expose what we trust. Waiting develops patience. Disappointment confronts our expectations.
You may never be grateful for everything you've experienced. And that's okay! But perhaps you can look back and thank God for what you learned and how your faith grew through an experience you never would have chosen.
3. The cross proves God's goodness.
Near the end of the song, Lake sings, “Thank God for His kindness to give up His Son.”
Much of the song looks backward. But what about when you can't see any of that yet because you're still in the middle of the storm?
In those moments, we need something more reliable than our circumstances to determine whether God is good.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
The cross is the eternal picture of His love for us. Before you know how your story ends or understand what God might bring from your suffering, you can look at Jesus.
Our circumstances may leave us with questions about God's goodness. The cross gives us an answer about God's character.
Our biography has a way of shaping our theology. Some of the truths I hold most tightly are truths I discovered when my life plans derailed, and I had no idea what to do next.
So, consider this question:
What do you know about God today that you only know because of something you never wanted to experience?
You don't have to call what happened to you good. But perhaps you can recognize the goodness of the God who met you there.
And if you're still in the middle of your story, look to the cross. Your circumstances may remain unresolved and your questions unanswered. But God's love for you has already been settled.
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker who loves tacos, matcha, and sneakers. With more than twenty years of ministry experience, he teaches with a blend of Biblical truth, emotional awareness, and the compassion shaped by his own struggles.
Scott’s writing has impacted over ten million people through trusted platforms such as the YouVersion Bible App, Air1 Radio, and Our Daily Bread. He’s the author of Faith Behind the Song, a 40-day devotional book published in partnership with K-Love Books. Whether speaking on a stage or writing on a page, he offers a steady, empathetic voice that reassures people they are seen, loved, and not beyond God's healing reach. You can sign up to receive his weekly newsletter at ScottSavageLive.com today!
