Romans 8.28 is often used on social media in posts like this:
It looks nice, sounds nice, and gives us a warm fuzzy feeling, right? God is working out everything, so everything is gonna be alright. When this verse is misunderstood we can be left feeling that we will have a hassle-free life, a trouble-free life, and a pain-free life. Sadly, this is never promised to us when we put faith in Jesus.
But, what is promised is that even though we will endure present sufferings(Romans 8.18), each and every experience in our lives, both good and bad, is working together to form the whole.
Our experiences and challenges together with our sufferings and our losses are never isolated from each other. God has Sovereignly ordained everything to work together for our ultimate good.
“…we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.”
(Romans 8.28-30)
Life is hard, there is no doubt about that. We will experience pain, we will experience loss, and we will experience suffering. But, at the core, we can rejoice even though that may feel so unnatural. We can do this because, ultimately, God is over all, God is directing our steps, and although we may not be able to see it, feel it, or experience it this side of heaven, He is working all things work together for good for those who love God.
Romans 8.28 doesn’t guarantee you a a hassle-free life, a trouble-free life, and a pain-free life. It does, however, show us that God is leading us in a good life, a life that Jesus lived, died, and rose to secure (vv.29-30).
James Travis 