Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
I want to tell you something. My life is not going so well. About 9 years ago, my husband turned from the Lord. About 3 years ago he left because he no longer wanted to be married to a Christian. About 3 months after that I became very sick. It is 2 1/2 years after becoming suddenly so ill, and I am still very sick. A month ago my oldest son rejected his faith and decided to go live with his dad, because he no longer wanted to live in a Christian household.
These are only the main points of the last 9 years of my life. The first 20-some years were just about perfect, by the way! So it has been a total and complete contrast from what I have always known.
I often run across people who are looking for good in all situations. It seems that what they are looking for is a manifestation of good toward themselves.
We talk about this verse a lot. In fact, it comes up in my circles nearly every time something bad happens!
But I fear that sometimes when we think about this verse, we are taking our eyes off from the Lord, and looking for some earthly relief.
This is not what the verse promises.
God has already given us the ultimate gift: the gift of salvation! He has given us His Son. He has redeemed us with His blood! Jesus took our place!!!
All things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Do you see it? In our lives, even in the midst of untold trials, He is working out His perfect plan. And it is good, because He loves us!
If the absolute worst happens, and we loose everything in this world, even to the point of death, even this is good, because it is to God's glory! I think we forget that the "good" in this verse is defined by God. He does not exist to "make us happy". We exist for His glory! I believe that the "good" in this verse is God's good, that all things work together for good, to bring glory to Him!
I am going to be very precise, with my own life here.
I have long prayed for God to protect my children, and to allow me to be able to meet with His people. (We're talking, years and years of fervent prayer, based on Psalm 27:4 and my desire for my children to also be held securely in God's hand.) Now my life is literally "falling apart", and I seldom can make it through a church service due to the illness. My first child has left, rejecting his faith. Another child wants to leave.
But I can still trust God with my life. I can STILL SAY that "All things work together for good, to them that love God." Even if the worst did happen, and every one of my children rejected God, and I only got worse with this illness to the point of death, it is still good. It is "God's good", and it is truely good, because He has loved me, and redeemed my life from destruction. Though my body may die, yet I will live again and Christ will be exalted!!!
