Get ready. Brace yourself. Because you’re about to read what might be one of THE most TRANSFORMATIONAL Bible verses. Here it is …
Romans 8:28: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.
How can ALL things work together for good? Not ALL things are good. Right? We’ve all had hardships, tragedies, and losses. How can this Bible verse be right … that those very real difficulties will work together for good?
The famous motivational life coach, Anthony Robbins, advises: When something bad happens, ask yourself – What’s Good About This? Is he off his rocker? Or, like Romans 8:28, is Robbins onto something?
Here’s how Romans 8:28 is wisdom that can CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR GOOD (double entendre intended).
Race car drivers learn that if they lose control of the car, they should NOT look at the brick wall their car is speeding towards. They should look at where they WANT to go. Most times, the car has a “magical” way of moving towards where the driver is looking. So, by having faith in the wisdom of Romans 8:28, we can teach ourselves to look where we want to go … to actively look for the blessing.
One secret in understanding how all things can work for good is provided by the book of Proverbs:
Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
The thought of “lean not on your own understanding” is key. How many times has something happened to you that you once thought was horrible – like the loss of a job or the breakup of a relationship. Then you later realized that there was a hidden blessing in the event (like you got a better job or you found an even more rewarding relationship). Like the race car driver, we must EXPECT that God has a better place for us to go. But we won’t see that better place if we don’t think it’s there. To see the blessing, you have to expect there WILL be a blessing.
And, of course, the phrase “for those who are called according to His purpose” is of extreme importance. As human beings, it’s hard for us to see His purpose. It’s difficult to imagine the BIG PICTURE. And that makes it much harder to see good in difficult situations.
Remember, the end of the story matters. We are promised an eternity in heaven – to be present with the Lord. So, any hardship that befall us are temporary. And those fleeting hardships will teach us lessons and perfect us for the most amazing reward possible. So, take heart. Because – YES! – all things DO work together for good!
