And if not...He is still good.

And If Not… He Is Still Good
A friend shared this recently: “And if not, He is still good” (Daniel 3:18).
I can’t tell you how much it resonated. Sometimes God answers our prayers differently than we hope—or not in the way we want at all. And yet, even when His answer doesn’t match our expectations, He is still good.
I know this truth deeply, not just in theory, but in life. Sixteen years ago, I became a widow while raising two young children. In one moment, my life as I knew it disappeared. Plans, dreams, identity, routines—all gone. I found myself asking the same questions I imagine many of you have: Why? Why now? Why like this?
And yet, even in that heart-wrenching season, I began to see glimpses of God’s goodness. I didn’t see them right away, and it took me a long time to choose to see His goodness. He gave me strength I didn’t know I had, kindness from friends and family I hadn’t expected, and a sense of peace that could only come from Him. I began learning that His goodness isn’t dependent on circumstances.
God is still good, even when a diagnosis is frightening.
God is still good, even when you lose a job you loved.
God is still good, even when a dream you’ve worked toward is lost.
God is still good, even when a loved one dies.
These are not easy truths to hold onto. I don’t pretend they are. The grief can feel overwhelming. The fear and uncertainty can feel endless. But over time, God has shown me that acknowledging His goodness doesn’t mean denying the pain. It means choosing to trust that He can redeem even the darkest circumstances.
Being a single mom added another layer to this journey. Every day I faced decisions, worries, and responsibilities that felt too big for one person. I tried muscling down and controlling my circumstances so things would go the way I thought they should. But that only added to the overwhelm and anxiety I was already carrying. I eventually had to surrender what I thought was best and trust that He would guide me, even when the path ahead seemed impossible.
Slowly, piece by piece, His goodness showed up. As I continued to trust Him and place my plans in His hands, He revealed the next step—sometimes just one small step at a time.
Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Trusting Him hasn’t been a one-time decision for me. It’s been a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment choice. There are seasons when I have to continually place the same worries, fears, and unanswered prayers back into His hands. Trust doesn’t mean the questions disappear or that the path suddenly becomes clear—it means choosing to release control again and again, even when my heart wants to hold on.
I still don’t have all the answers, and I still face hard days. But I can say, without hesitation, that God is still good. Leaning into that truth—especially when life feels uncertain—has anchored me in ways I never expected.
If you are walking through a season of unanswered prayers, loss, or fear, I want to remind you gently: you can still believe in His goodness. You don’t have to understand everything to trust that He sees you, loves you, and is walking with you through this.
Even when life is hard, even when grief feels heavy, even when your heart aches—God is still good. That truth is steady, unchanging, and faithful, no matter what season you find yourself in.

If you’re walking through grief and need a quiet place to process, I have created resources specifically for you in my Etsy shop, HOPE & HARMONY PAGES. These three digital printables work on their own and hand in hand with each other:
HOPE IN THE MOURNING: A 30 DAY JOURNAL FOR THE GRIEVING,,
GRIEF TO GRACE MINI GUIDE: 5 GENTLE STEPS TOWARD HOPE
30 SCRIPTURE CARDS FOR GRIEF. If you know someone these might encourage, I would be honored if you’d share these resources—and my blog—with them.