“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”- Romans 8:28
Max Lucado begins Chapter 9 (“All Things Work for Good”) of More to Your Story by observing that we’ve all asked questions about how adversity plays a part in God’s plan. There are so many things we don’t know. However, Max states that, according to Romans 8:28, we absolutely can be certain about four things:
- God works. He works ceaselessly and tirelessly “behind the scenes, above the fury, within the fray.”
- God works for the good. God works for our ultimate good, not for our comfort or pleasure or entertainment.
- God works for the good of those who love him. As Max explains, “behold the benefit of a loving God! . . . Being the author of salvation, he writes a salvation theme into our biography.”
- God works in all things. In “all things” God works- not through a few things, good things, best things, or easy things.
Yet, we question whether or not God could use our ministry downsizing or vocation loss to advance his cause. As Max states, this question is more than hypothetical:
“We all have seasons that are hard to explain. Before we knew God’s story, we made a mess of our own. Even afterward, we’re prone to demand our own way, cut our own path, and hurt people in the process.”
The good news- God instilled, and continues to instill, within you everything you need to fulfill His plan for your life.
Today’s question: During your desert, transformational time, how have all things worked together for good? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the Annotated Bibliography of More to Your Story
