Definitions

justice. noun. \ˈjəs-təs\
the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments

righteous. adjective. \ˈrī-chəs\
1. acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin   
2. morally right or justifiable 

good. adjective. \ˈgu̇d\
(1) : virtuous, right, commendable <a good person> <good conduct> (2) : kind, benevolent <good intentions> 

[All definitions from Merriam-Webster Dictionary]    
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. --Ecclesiastes 3:10

Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? --Exodus 4:11 

But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." --John 11:4 

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. --Romans 5:3-4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Through God's wonderful sovereignty, I was able to comfort a dear friend yesterday. As we rested, hand in hand, and shared the sorrows of our hearts, we began to ponder the character of God. Why is a God who is just allowing this trial to happen? We know He can take it away with a breath from his mouth or a touch of His hand. 

As the tears fell and our hands clasped tighter, we began to share verses where the Lord had revealed Himself to us. Some of the verses we talked about are shared above. God is in control. He always has been. He always will be. Has He not made us who we are? Is He not making us into who we will be? 

When we come across struggles and trials in our lives and we see them as unjust or not right or not good, could the problem really be that our definitions of what is 'just' or 'righteous' or 'good' isn't in line with God's definition? Isn't our own understanding clouding by our human nature that is both finite and sinful?

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. --I John 3:2

Saying goodbye to my second mother, I pondered what God's definition of 'just' and 'righteous' and 'good' are as I walked away. In all things, no matter what my definition of these words are, God will still bring glory to Himself, He will still makes things beautiful-- in His time. 

The God who heals infirmities, who is in the business of transforming hearts and lives, who is faithful, Just, Righteous, Good, who delivered a nation from slavery and oppression, will continue to be exactly who He is and will continue to work in me. 

I may never know why my loved one had to endure all this pain, but I know that one day I will understand and know why. When that happens, I 'shall see him as he is.' Until then, I will be His faithful servant.