“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) This scripture is often a source of hope and strength to persevere. These words can infuse dark circumstances with beautiful light. But I believe they are also sometimes misinterpreted and misused.
If you are honest with yourself, don’t you tend to think that the good Paul is referring to in this verse is a tidy, happy, fairy-tale ending to whatever trial you are facing? You land your dream job. Your child is completely healed. You marry your “soulmate.” Those wonderful things happen, and you declare God is good and quote Romans 8:28. Of course, God IS gracious to us and good in those times! Every breath we take is a gift from Him!! Sometimes God lovingly gives us what we desire and long for, but often He lovingly does not. And EVEN IF He doesn’t, He is still working all things for good.
During Mike’s battle with cancer, I felt so frustrated at people who quoted this verse and proclaimed God was good at the “happy” ending of their story. Not because I was jealous, not because I did not celebrate with them, but because I felt it failed to acknowledge a critical truth of the surrender of the Christian life—happy ending or not, God still works all things together for good.
Many professing Christians wrongly believe that if they claim to love God, go to church on Sundays (and maybe Wednesdays if the kids aren’t tired), pray when a friend is sick, read their Bibles occasionally, and avoid any of the “big” sins, you know, like murder or adultery, their lives will make sense, fall into place, be easy–and therefore, good.
Easy, free from pain and suffering–that is how we so often define what is good. And that is not Biblical. In fact, Jesus tells us that loving Him, following Him, and living according to His purpose will be very hard. In Matthew 10 He warned the disciples they would be mistreated, beaten, rejected, and hated for following Him. How did that work out? Andrew and Peter were crucified. James was be-headed. John was exiled. Phillip was stoned. Matthew was burned at the stake. Thomas was run through with a spear. Their lives were the opposite of easy, but the result, the spread of the Gospel and the foundation of the early church, was good.
The Apostle Paul unquestionably loved God and pursued the purpose given to Him, and God worked immeasurable goodness from his surrender and obedience. What was Paul’s life like? God never answered his petition to be released from the “thorn in his flesh.” He faced continual persecution, he was shipwrecked, he was imprisoned and stoned, and ultimately his head was cut off.
Jesus’ life here on earth certainly wasn’t neat and pretty, nor easy. He was misunderstood, despised, and spurned. In Luke 2:41-43, we read that Jesus prayed and pleaded that God the Father would change His mind about the cross, to the point that “his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.” God sent an angel to strengthen Him, but He did not change His mind. By fulfilling His calling and His purpose, Jesus endured an excruciating physical death on the cross. He faced the separation from God caused by every sin that was or ever would be committed. It was agony. It was unimaginably horrific. Yet, it was the greatest act of surrender, obedience, and love EVER. And it was very, very good.
What does it mean in Romans 8:28 when Paul states that all things work together for good? It means that all things work together in a way that conforms us more closely to the image of Christ. It means that all things work together in a way that glorifies our Holy God. It means that all things work together and toward that day when He will return, and all our brokenness and sin will be no more.
In the garden, Jesus pleaded for a different way, but He also prayed, EVEN IF: “Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.” God’s version of good doesn’t necessarily align with our human version of good. His ways are far above our ability to see and comprehend! But when we truly love Him and are wholly surrendered to Him, we will live according to His purpose as described in Romans 8, EVEN IF that calling is painful and difficult and different from what we desire. We must trust God’s plan and goodness, EVEN IF.
What is your “EVEN IF”?
Will I trust that God will work all things for good, EVEN IF he does not heal my husband’s cancer and I am left a single mother and widow at 47?
Will I believe that God will work all things for good, EVEN IF years of infertility and miscarriage leave me without the child I long for?
Will I be confident that God will work all things for good, EVEN IF my children live a life of rebellion?
Will I live assured that God will work all things for good, EVEN IF my marriage crumbles into a pile of rejection and destroyed dreams?
God’s goodness and glory is displayed in us most during those “EVEN IF” times. Are we living faithfully and in obedience, trusting that God will work all things for good in His way? Do we desire God’s plan and His glory more than our comfort?
Or do we just want things to be easy?