“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28-29
There is a message that goes throughout scripture that is very important for believers in Jesus Christ to meditate on as we live in this world. It is an issue God knows believers will struggle with. It is such an important issue that Satan and the world even use it to mock the existence of God or at least His goodness. That issue is “why do bad things happen to good people?”
From a Christian’s perspective, this question always brings us
back to the character of God. He tells us He stands behind what we perceive as “bad” with His mighty power ready to turn it into good. God states this truth clearly in His word. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This great verse gives us this is a truth that we have assurance will be true in the lives of every believer who loves and serves Him.
One great example of this truth is in the Old Testament story of Joseph. He was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. His brothers lied to his father about his death. In Egypt he was falsely accused and imprisoned. He was forgotten by Pharoah’ s servants and he likely thought he would never get out of prison. For Joseph things kept getting worse and worse.
But God remembered Joseph and exalted him in God’s timing. When he finally meets his brothers Joseph states the Old Testament equivalent on Romans 8:28. He tells his brothers “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Did you see that? People were saved through Joseph’s sufferings!) Joseph saw God’s hand in all things, good and bad, that happened to him. He looked back and saw how God worked each event for good.
Go the New New Testament. What was the worst thing that ever happened in the history of the whole world? There was no worse
day on earth than when man in full rebellion against God killed His Son who was sent to redeem people from their sin. The hoards of hell were in full celebration. Satan has achieved the impossible. He had killed God. Surely there was no way that heaven could recover from this mortal blow. God Himself could not bear to look on his Son who had taken on His body the sin of all mankind. When God turned his back and all earth was darkened – there was no darker day than that. Hope was destroyed. The disciples felt that way. The One they were positive was the Messiah had been killed. His kingdom would not come. This was the absolute worst day of all time for all hope died on that cross with the Savior.
Now ask, what was the greatest day of all time? Interestingly it is the very same day. It was on the cross that Christ paid for all our sin. He fulfilled God’s word that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin”. God took the pain and agony suffered by the perfect lamb of God of the cross and tuned it into the sacrifice required of all mankind. On that day the debt owed to God for sin was paid once and for all. His disciples (nor the world) could not see what God was doing. Only after several days did they they realize the empty tomb proved the truth of Romans 8:28. The God of the impossible took the worst thing that could ever happen and turned it into the greatest event ever.
What Can We Learn? All things means all things. – everything, good and bad. We cannot always see what God is doing. We are not responsible for ensuring the outcome but only to love and trust God with all our hearts.
Because of Who He is we always have hope for Almighty God is in control – even of the worst days ever. Our God can turn what man means for evil into good.