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
When Paul says “all things” in that verse, does he really mean all things? Even the bad things? Even the painful things? The wrong things? The sins, even?
How do you answer that question?
Romans 8:28 is a wonderful verse. But it suffers a little through being almost too quotable – it’s one of those verses it’s easy to trot out without really thinking about it. And that can lead us to be rather complacent: “Oh well, if God really does work everything for good for those who love him, it doesn’t matter much what I do, or don’t do, does it? – he’s promised to put it right, or at least to bring good out of it…”
(I suspect too that it can have the effect of really annoying our non-Christian friends if we quote it too glibly: “There you go, you Christians, so shallow, so trite, talking as if all the pains and troubles of this life really don’t matter. Can all these things be airily dismissed by quoting a few words from the Bible? Isn’t this just ‘pie in the sky when you die’?” Let’s be careful how we witness!)
Well, I don’t doubt that Romans 8:28 is true. If God really is the Lord of all creation, and the Lord of history, how can things not work out for good for those who belong to him? (And yes, that includes our sins; even they, if truly repented of, can be midwives to new virtues coming to birth.)
With the current pandemic continuing, I’m sure all of us have derived comfort from various Bible verses akin to Romans 8:28: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…” (Psalm 46) is a classic example. But again, words which are easy to quote may be difficult to get a strong and practical grip on.
So I find myself asking: Do such words really make a difference to me, apart from offering what might be called a passing comfort-fix?
What I’m leading up to is this: that I as an individual can cancel the truth of Romans 8:28 if my attitude is wrong. How is the pandemic going to work out for good if I slip into a complacent and even fatalistic attitude?
I realised that I had to make a choice between two opposing mind-sets: the positive and the negative.
Either I view the situation simply as an ordeal that I must endure – that’s the negative; or I view it as a challenge through which I can grow – that’s the positive. Yes, it certainly is an ordeal I must endure; but can I, by faith, make is something else too?
In John 11 we read how Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. The disciples found it hard to believe that he would allow him to die, but, mincing no words, “he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead’…” Whereupon Thomas – “Doubting Thomas” – responded, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:14-16).
There’s a perfect example (if the word “perfect” is appropriate!) of a negative attitude: you can almost see Thomas shrugging his shoulders in hopelessness.
And the fact is that, however sincere our faith may be, we too can slip into that kind of attitude. Oh yes, we believe in theory that Romans 8:28 is true; but it makes no practical difference to the way we are.
So (I continued to ask myself) what can I do to ensure that my faith does in fact result in something positive through the coming weeks? To which the answer could only be: By making up my mind every day, even every hour, that I will look for and expect to see the presence, the power and the love of Jesus at work in, through and around me.
When I get to the end of this difficult time (assuming I do – I make no assumptions!), my prayer is that I will be a more Christlike person than I was at the beginning: a more faithful Christian; a better husband; a more loving family member; a more responsible member of society; a more thoughtful friend and neighbour – to highlight just the most obvious weaknesses.
My circumstances may be very different (and probably a lot easier) than yours. But if that prayer is answered, then and only then will Romans 8:28 have been fulfilled for me. But if it happens for me… well, why shouldn’t it also happen for you?
God really does work in all things for the good of those who love him. Lord, help us believe it, and to “trace the rainbow through the rain”!
O joy that seekest me through pain,/ I cannot close my heart to Thee;/ I trace the rainbow through the rain,/ And feel the promise is not vain/ That morn shall tearless be. Amen.
George Matheson, 1842-1906
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