The Truth of Good Friday
I remember the first time someone shared Romans 8:28 with me. I was in college—a young Christian facing challenges in my studies—and I confided in a caring woman from my church. She gently reminded me that God causes all things, even the things that don’t seem good, to work together for our good. Decades later, I still return to this verse, reminding myself that challenges and trials don’t have the final say, God does.
And nowhere in all of Scripture is this more clearly seen than on the darkest, gloomiest, saddest day in the biblical story—Good Friday.
Honestly, if you’re looking for a story with a good ending, Good Friday is not your best choice. In fact, this narrative ends on an incredibly somber and truly hopeless note. This may sound blunt, but it’s the reality of that day. And although we know the rest of the story—and are forever grateful for its ending—if we isolate this day from the whole, it’s hard to connect any good with it.
This is why, to fully appreciate and celebrate the good in Good Friday, it’s important to acknowledge what was not.
The truth is nothing that happened to Jesus on Good Friday, in and of itself, was good.
On this day, Jesus suffered betrayal by a friend, denial by another, rejection, mockery, and inhumane treatment from the very people He came to save. Yes, He was God, but in His humanity, this was hard, unbearably hard. So hard that He asked His Father twice if there was any other way to accomplish His mission. Yet there was not. In obedience, He submitted to His Father’s will, surrendered His life, and died.
For His followers then, this was a heartbreaking ending—one they never imagined. But for us today, this day stands as a powerful reminder that God, who is good, is able to bring ultimate—truly extraordinary—good out of what was not good at all.
And this leads us to remember the truly good in Good Friday.
On Good Friday, God’s ultimate will was accomplished through Jesus. For us, this means the final sacrifice for sin has been paid. And this is not only goo, it’s more than good.
Now, we are no longer required to bring burnt offerings or sacrifice animals for forgiveness, nor do we need a priest or anyone else to mediate between us and God. Jesus is our forever Advocate, our constant Intercessor. Because of Him, we are completely forgiven. And now we can approach God the Father confidently as His dearly loved children, free from shame, guilt, condemnation, and fear.
All of this—every wonderful bit of it—is because of one specific Friday that, in the moment, did not appear to be good at all, but truly was. And knowing this makes all the difference—not only in how we see Good Friday, but in how we live every day of our lives.
So perhaps today, take some time to reflect on the Good Friday story. And as you do, acknowledge what was not good, celebrate what truly is good, and thank God that because of Good Friday, you have been forever forgiven by a perfect Savior, Jesus, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Pray
Father God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus as the perfect Lamb of God. As I reflect on Good Friday, help me to be honest about what was not good, and to remember and celebrate what truly is. I am eternally grateful for Your love, forgiveness, undeserved grace, mercy, and kindness. In Jesus’ name I praise You. Amen.
Reflect
As you reflect on Good Friday, where do you sense God inviting you to be honest about what has not been good in your own life — and how might He be asking you to trust Him to bring good from it?
Friends, I’d love to hear your experience! Feel free to share your responses in the comment section below.