romans 8:28 Archives - Daily Thoughts about God

“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” Romans 8:28 (AMP)

Many of us need to be released from a great burden. The burden I am speaking about is not a huge work load, a full schedule, a pressing need, or a perplexing problem. The burden is our efforts to try and work “all things together for good.”

Our first step in the release of this burden is to acknowledge that God is the only one who can work all things together for good. When we try to work things together for good we fail—pressure replaces peace, striving replaces serenity, exhaustion replaces rest. Those who fail to let God work things for the good will push, manipulate, and try to take control of people and circumstances as they “work” to try and make all things turn out for good in their lives and the lives of those they love.

When we try and work things together for the good they soon go bad. The truth is, we don’t have the power to change circumstances or people for the good…we even lack the wisdom to know what the good looks like in every situation, circumstance, and relationship in life.

We must also understand that when God works all things for the good, He is working according to His good pleasure…He works to please Himself, not to please us. However, if our pleasure is to please Him, then we can rejoice in all He is doing.

If you are trying to work things together for the good at work, release it to God;
If you are trying to work things together for the good at home; release it to God;
If you are trying to work things together for the good in someone’s life, release it God;
If you are trying to work things together for good in your life, release it to God.

Release your self-efforts fully to the Lord, wipe the sweat from your brow, and rest in the assurance that God knows what He is doing, knows how to do it, and knows when to do it in a way that will be according to His perfect design and purpose.

by Roy Lessin
Used by Permission

“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 you’re in the midst of great suffering you don’t want people to piously quote the above verse to you. “How can this be good when it feels so bad?” you ask yourself. But what is this verse really talking about? I looked it up in my Bible so I could read it in context.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, to those who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.”

In the Amplified Bible the last phrase reads: “He destined them from the beginning to be molded into the image of His Son and share inwardly His likeness.”

God is interested in our long-range good. For that reason, He is using all things in our lives–the good and the bad–to make us more like Christ. To perfect us. To grow us up. To set us free from self-centeredness so that we will become the beautiful people He created. This is a greater good than temporal blessings. Wouldn’t you agree?

We must beware of a feeling of entitlement, thinking that God owes us a blessing. “I’ve been a good Christian; I’ve worked very hard; I deserve better.” In truth, if it weren’t for Jesus’ death and resurrection, God would owe us judgment. Instead, He offers us mercy. Grace and mercy are His gifts to us. We do not earn them.

Father, I want to believe that you have my best interest at heart, at all times. Help my unbelief. I now surrender all my dreams and ambitions and all my disappointments to you. I want to be more trusting like Jesus was.

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

God Works for the Good

Further Reading

Do all Things Really Work Together for 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).

Further Reading

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God Works for the Good

Further Reading

Do all Things Really Work Together for 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).

Further Reading