And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. (Rom. 8:28)
Expanded Passage: Romans 8:28
God has an eternal perspective. In any circumstance or life event, it is helpful to be aware of the truth that God Almighty has been at work in that situation long before the events that you now see. You may need the reminder that God is at work now. And God is working well into your future. Past, present, and future—God is working all things for your good. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, leading and maturing us, we can give thanks to God in all things with the assurance that he is working for our good, even though we don’t always understand the reasons things happen.
Have you prayed a prayer that went something like, “God, you better be right”? Perhaps you’ve prayed that when the things around you made absolutely no sense. That prayer may not sound right, but it is a trusting prayer. It shows that we are spiritually mature enough to put our faith in the Lord as the only right answer for the situation. His definition of good is sometimes different than what we would call good. That being the case, we can pray: “Lord, I love you. May my dependence on you increase so that, no matter what happens, I will hold on to my relationship with you, believing that someday I will see your good hand at work in all things.”
Pray about something you don’t understand, then trust God to handle it.
Jim Dunn is the president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He previously served as the executive director of the Church Multiplication and Discipleship for The Wesleyan Church.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
