God Causes All Things To Work Together For Good

Romans 8:28 New American Standard Bible 1995

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The question is do we really believe this. There have been many moments and seasons in my personal life where I have felt abandoned and forgotten by God. I have felt like what I was facing was simply going to destroy me and that my life was over. But this is the journey of faith. This is where true deep and mature faith is built.

One thing I have learned in my life is that following Jesus is hard. It is not easy and it truly requires that we rely fully upon the Lord each step at a time. God promises that He will work all things together for our good. I am sure there were many moments in the life of the apostle Paul in the midst of his own suffering that he may have wondered how God would work through it. But through each trial and storm the Lord demonstrated His faithfulness and the kingdom was increased a little bit more in the life of the apostle Paul.

The Lord says here those who love God and are called according to His purposes. If we are in relationship with Jesus we have been chosen by God. No one is able to come to Jesus unless the Father draws them. When we are chosen by Almighty God that means His hand is upon our lives. He is working in every situation. Even in the times when we don't understand what God is doing and we are going through a lot of pain and heart ache, we can still trust God and know that He is working all things together for our good.

For those of you reading this today who are discouraged by your present circumstances, know that you are not alone. There have been many moments in my life that I have felt like throwing in the towel and simply forgotten by God. But as I look back now I see His faithfulness in everything.

Yesterday I stopped by my parents and picked up all my old yearbooks from middle and high school. I thought at one time I had simply thrown them away, but thankfully my father held on to them. As I scanned through some of them I saw a picture of a young man who was young and thought he had life all figured out. But little did he know the hardships that would stand before him. But I thank God at that point in my life He didn't reveal all that I would go through as I moved on toward becoming a man. I can honestly say that I would not be who I am today without the trial and the struggle. God truly works all things together for our good.

Be encouraged today because the Lord is doing a very deep work in your life. He is walking with you through the fire and is refining and pruning you for what He has planned ahead. Don't focus on your present circumstances, but instead simply focus on the Lord and continue to grow in Him. Let go of trying to understand and control, and simply surrender all things to God.

Prayer

Father I come to you today and thank you for the trial and hardship. I may not fully understand all that I am facing in this season, but I thank you that you are faithful. That you walk with me. That you are doing a work in my heart and life. Jesus you never said this would be easy and I thank you that you are my King and my God. Father help me in my weakness. I confess at moments I feel like giving up and throwing in the towel. But I thank you that this isn't about my strength or understanding. This is simply about trusting you and relying upon you. I thank you that it is in the place of hardship and trial that the greatest servants of your kingdom are formed. In the name of Jesus, Amen!