Why Do Things Work Out For Good?
“All things work together for good” is a phrase many people find comforting. Those words are often spoken to people who are suffering hardships, difficult times, or tragedy. Often, people in these heartbreaking circumstances use these words themselves to find peace amid the storms of life.
These words are Biblical words and are only a small part of one verse.
Romans 8:28: “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.”
There is a caveat: all things work together for good only for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Loving God is about spending time with Him in prayer, seeking to do His will daily, hearing His voice through Scripture, and sharing Him with others. Jesus summarized it in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Then, there is the second requirement in the verse: “them who are the called according to his purpose.” God calls everyone to salvation in one form or another. It may be through preaching (Romans 10:13-17), it may be through nature (Romans 1:20), but somehow, some way, the Holy Spirit will press upon a person’s heart the need for forgiveness of their sins. The Bible tells us that the reason (purpose) Jesus came was to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21).
Since everyone is called to salvation, wouldn’t all things work together for good apply to everyone? Well, not everyone loves God, so not everyone fits both requirements. In short, the promise of working together for good applies to the saved. Would God tell people that everything is going to work out for good, then cast them in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15)? No, He would not. God is not a liar; He is the truth. Therefore, the promise does not apply to those who have rejected Christ.
The problem with us humans is that we only see our past and present, and we don’t see the future clearly. God sees the beginning from the end. So how does all this work? How does everything work out for good for the Christian?
We all experience things that, in our minds, are the worst things that can happen to us. How does God work it for good? We must look at the whole passage to get an answer.
Romans 8:26-27 explains part of the answer: the Holy Spirit prays for us, knowing we don’t see the future as God does. We may face circumstances that seem unbearable, but God uses these times to build our faith. Later, we may help others in similar trials, turning our hardship into blessing for someone else through God’s grace.
Verse 29, the verse after we are told “that all things work together for good…”, we are given the ultimate reason for our hardships in life: that we may “be conformed to the image of his Son.”
It takes faith to get through the rough patches in life. When everything seems to be falling down all around us, it takes faith to receive comfort in the words, “all things work together for good.” We don’t see how things will get fixed, let alone how everything will be not only okay but good. We must have faith to know that God is in control and that He knows tomorrow. Bad situations should increase our faith and our relationship with God. In other words, when God allows bad things, even tragedies, into our lives, He is working in us so people can see an image of Christ in us. The more we are like Christ, the more others will see Him in us.
Do you know Christ as your Savior? If not, you cannot claim the promise of everything working for good. If you do know Christ, do you allow God to work in you when the bad times roll around? Do you grow in Him? According to the passage, these things happen to conform us to the image of His Son. Do you fight it, or do you allow God to work through the events of your life?
Preacher Tim Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County, Indiana. His weekly column “Preacher’s Point” may be found at: www.preacherspoint.wordpress.com