Over the past few weeks I’ve had multiple run-ins with Romans. I must say that it has been really good for me in more ways than I can explain. One of the verses that has come up the most is from Romans 8. I’ve heard the verse a lot in my years of sitting in church, but I’m starting to actually GET IT for the first time. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” I’m sure you’ve read that or heard it talked about. How many times have you heard people say that God will make everything okay because “He causes everything to work together for good?” How many times have you heard it as a blanket statement over all the people in the room?
From what I read above, I don’t see it saying that everything is gonna be good at all times. I don’t read anything that says life is always happy. I definitely don’t see anything that says when you’re a true believer nothing bad will happen to you. Yet, these are all ideas that I’ve heard in relation to that one verse. I say that so you can see where I’m coming from. This blog has been about a month in the making, so I didn’t have a lightening bolt moment. I think it was more slothful in nature, so stick with me here.
Now that it seems like I’m going to tell you that life sucks all together and we just have to deal with it, let me share with you what God has been teaching me. At training camp I learned a lot about being CHOSEN and CALLED by God. It was incredible to say the least. So, while reading this verse, one of the things that jumped out is that it applies directly to those who are CALLED to God’s purpose. Before you rule yourself out, we are all called to something as believers. It’s just a matter of following that calling.
As I continued to think about this verse and its implications, I kept mulling over what it meant for all things to work together for good. Over time it started to make sense. When you look back on your life and you think about the things you’ve experienced (the good and the bad) it may seem like a crazy mess. In looking at my own life, I could say it just looks like a crazy mess. But as I look at it through the lens of Romans 8:28 I realize that God is using my story for good. I can actually say that there are situations and people that I’ve been able to speak life into because of my story. I’m realizing more and more that my story isn’t just for me. God wants to use it for good. He wants to take the good, the bad, and the ugly and make it ALL good. Sometimes I’m still completely dumbfounded by this idea, but so thankful that God works in all things.
While I’m learning these lessons, I bought the new Shane & Shane album, Everything is Different (if you don’t know who they are, look them up!) One of the new songs is called “For The Good”…God does this to me a lot! He uses the music I listen to, and teaches me biblical truth for my life…it’s good stuff! Anyway, the 2nd verse of the song awakened a new truth that i needed to hear.
“We like to take the blessing from You
Shall we not take the trouble too
You are working all things out
We like to take prosperity
Shall we not take the suffering
You are working all things out”
I love it! I mean, how often do we thank God for the blessings then curse Him for the trouble? I don’t recall God saying that everything would be perfect once we become believers. Actually, if you think about it, the guys who followed Jesus were pretty comfortable before they met him…and I’m pretty sure they went through some pretty crazy things as a result of following Jesus.
So, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called to His purpose. He takes crap and makes it beautiful. He takes my story and changes another person’s life as a result. That’s not anything I did, but all about the creativity of God. Satan can’t even win with our sin…God still takes it and uses it for good. I hope that you can see through this how much God adores us. Nothing that happens is wasted. God uses our trash. He takes our filth and causes it to shine in His light. It’s crazy!!!
God’s working it all out. Trust Him to get you through your worst days, and be willing to let Him use them for good in the future…because He will! Your story is not your own…it is for bringing Glory to God. My prayer is that I never forget this lesson, and that you will seek the Lord in understanding if for yourself.
Update
I leave in 32 days for Auckland, New Zealand!!!! As of right now I need $7,000 in order to be fully funded. If you haven’t joined my support team yet, I’d love for you to be a part of it. Just go to the “support me” tab on the left side of this page. It’s easy, and such a blessing! If you want to be updated by email any time I post a blog click on “Get Update Alerts” and put in your email…it’s that easy!
