I’m meditating on this often quoted scripture this morning:
“We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 CEB
I trust this is true. I believe this is true. But I don’t always “see” that this is true. Perhaps, I don’t always “see” it is because I’m looking for the wrong evidence. Maybe to “see” the fullness of this promise I need to read this promise in context.
Before Paul makes this astonishing promise, he was talking about prayer, specifically praying in the Spirit. He says the Holy Spirit is interceding for us according to God’s will.
The Holy Spirit was there the day we were created. We are a divine collaboration between the Trinity. He knows why we were created. He knows the flavor of God we were designed to represent. He know God’s ultimate plan for us. So He intercedes accordingly. When we pray in the Spirit we cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit.
The verse following this promise says we are predestined, called, justified, and glorified to be formed in the image of Christ. And maybe, just maybe, that is the “good” God is working.
Maybe every heartache and every joy,
Every tear and every laughter,
Every low and every high,
Every disappointment and every blessing,
Every lament and every praise,
Every sickness and every healing
Every death and every birth
All come together in a soothing symphony conducted by God and composed to make us more like Christ. Perhaps God uses everything we experience to smooth the rough edges, extract the impurities left by this fallen world to bring us back to His original intent for us, our created purpose.
Rest assured friends, God is using everything, yes, even what the enemy meant for evil, to benefit and prosper us. Believe it. Trust it. See it.
“So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.”
Romans 8:28-29 TPT