| “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” |
| —Romans 8:28 |
When our world turns upside down, we have to find something onto which we can hold firm. There is no better handhold than the words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the new Christians at Rome, as recorded in Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
No matter what happens in our lives, we can rest secure in the knowledge that God is at work for our good. He always has our best interest in mind.
Yes, I know that sometimes it is very hard to see the benefit that will accrue to us through some tragedy that may befall us. Nevertheless, over time, it often becomes clear that God is working out His plan for our lives, even through seemingly tragic events.
One of the things we often lose sight of in the midst of the trials and difficulties of our lives is the fact that we do not live in a vacuum. As our days unfold, our lives touch the lives of countless other people. Sometimes, the things that happen to us have a profound effect on others.
As a fifth grader, I remember the death of a relatively young man in our church who happened to work with a crew of men for the natural gas utility company. His fellow crew members came to the funeral.
One of those men was so deeply touched by that funeral sermon that he began to bring his wife and three children to our church on a regular basis. Eventually, the entire family became believers in the life-transforming power of Christ.
The death of the man was certainly a tragedy to his family and friends. Yet here is an example of God at work for the good of those He loves. Through that death, God used the circumstances to irresistibly draw at least five other people into His mercy, grace, and love.
As this new day begins, let’s cling to the reality that God is at work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure. As I wrote above, He always has our best interest in mind. He is working His will to bring glory to His name and to bring His blessings into our lives—even in the midst of the darkest of days.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, June 29, 2017
