Life throws all kinds of challenges at you. We live in a broken world. We make mistakes, and others make them too. On any given day, you could find many reasons to be discouraged.
Your health may be declining, and chronic pain hurts every day. That pain is real. If your house is for sale, you may be discouraged because of the tough market conditions at the moment. For those who have experienced a recent job loss, you may be wondering how God is going to provide for your financial needs. If the recent election results were different than you hoped for, you may have lost heart. For people who have gone through separation and divorce, you may wonder if God sees what you have gone through and does He even care?
In the midst of the brokenness of life, God wants you to be encouraged. He has a promise for you. He is a good Heavenly Father who has a plan to work all things together for your good.
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)
The sovereign hand of God is always at work. Notice that the verse says, “in all things God works.” There is nothing you go through in life that God does either sovereignly cause or allow to go on in your life. Some people have a sticker on their car that says, “Life is good,” and while that is the case sometimes, I have learned this lesson: life is not always good, but God is always good.
And our good God is at work at all times. He never sleeps. He is never late. He is never not aware of what we are going through. Behind the scenes, He is at work even when you cannot see what He is doing. Trust in the hand and the plans of our good, sovereign God.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)
Nothing in your life is wasted. Romans 8:28 says that “in all things God works,” not just in some things. God is aware of the difficulties you endure. We all battle against our sinful nature, the world, and the devil, and because of that we face problems of many kinds. God takes all things that happen in our lives — the good and the bad — and weaves them together in an amazingly beautiful tapestry of His goodness and His grace. We must learn to see beyond the current circumstances and trust that He will not waste anything. God does not waste one tear, one prayer, or even one jubilant experience. He works in all things.
God works for your good and His glory. The Bible says that “God works for the good of those who love Him, …according to His purpose.” God is a good God. At His very nature He is good. God is the sovereign creator of the universe, the only one who deserves glory. God does not work for evil. He works for good. And we glorify Him as He fulfills His purposes in our lives and in the world. He wants you to live a full and abundant life, even if that life includes hardships at times.
Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Continue to love God, because you have been called according to His purpose. The promise that God will work all things together for good is a promise made to believers in Christ. This is not a promise made to everyone. Romans 8:28 says that we are to love Him, and to be called according to His purpose. Romans 8:29 tells us that He wants to conform us to the image of His Son. Jesus endured pain, suffering and sacrifice to be in the center of God’s will. We will endure difficulties too. Our response should be the same as Jesus: love God, and be committed to His purpose.
Hold on to God’s promises. He is a good, loving Heavenly Father. Trust in Him, and trust Him daily, even moment by moment. He will work all things together for your good, for those who have been called according to His purpose. Your story is a story of redemption, of God’s glory in your life. Through mountaintops and valleys, God is always at work. Believe in Him. Hold fast to Him. Trust Him. Walk in victory.