“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.” (Romans 8:28)

Is everything working together for your good? That’s a different question than, “is everything in your life good?” Is everything working together for your good? In other words, are things in your life conspiring against you to harm you or are you okay? For most of us the answer is probably that we are okay, but there are undoubtedly those who feel very strongly that things are working against them and it is not for their good at all. If that is the case for you, in light of Romans 8:28, you then have to ask yourself, “Am I obeying God and choosing His way every day? Do I love God? Am I living out the purpose He has for me?”

“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, ‘I know God,’ but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6)

John provides us with a very succinct checklist that we can use against Romans 8:28. If we know God then we will obey His commands, and if we obey His commands then we are showing that we truly love Him, and if we love God then we should live in Him, and if we live in Him then we will be living our lives as Jesus did. So if you find that you are not obeying God’s commands, if you are still choosing your sin, if you are not living as Jesus lived, if you are not seeking after life in His purpose for you, then how can you expect things to work together for your good?

“‘For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.’” (Matthew 5:45b)

We live in a fallen and sinful world and we are waiting for the day when God makes His creation perfect once more. Until then, bad things will happen, whether we are living in God’s will and purpose or not—it rains on the just and unjust. Notice that the promise of Romans 8:28 is not that all things will suddenly be good in your life. It’s not a promise of bad things never happening. It is a promise that in everything—good and bad—God can cause it to work for your good.

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Our purpose is to “go and produce lasting fruit,” “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” and “know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God.” Choose God every day, pursue His purpose for your life, obey His commands and you will find that no matter what happens, good or bad, God will cause everything—good and bad—to work together for your good.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.