Hope in Believing What God Says

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

There are days when our minds want to completely reject the above verse.

It's a hard verse to believe.

All things? For our good?

But Paul doesn't just state this incredible fact. He follows up it with an explanation.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:29-31

Did you notice the progression of God's work in us?

1. He foreknew us
2. He predestinated us to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
3. He called us.
4. He justified us.
5. He glorified us.

It's astonishing, really, to think about all that God has been doing in our lives before we even existed!

With this in mind, Paul then asks us a question.

After all that God has done, who can thwart His plan for our lives?

Who or what is greater than God?

Then to take it a step further, Paul asks,

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

How can we doubt God? He sacrificed His only Son for us.

Why do we have to be convinced of His great love for us?

Just in case we need that, though, Paul includes the following list of things that cannot separate us from the Father:

• tribulation
• distress
• persecution
• famine
• nakedness
• peril
• sword
• death
• life
• angels
• principalities
• powers
• things present
• things to come
• height
• depth
• an other creature

That just about covers everything, I think!

You are precious to God! He gave the very best He had for you.

He will not allow anything to come into your life that is not for your good.

• I cannot explain that.
• I cannot understand that.
• I cannot logically contemplate how that will work with every circumstance that I experience.

All I can do, by faith, is simply believe it.

That belief then gives me peace, no matter what circumstance may occur.

So then, with Paul I can say

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

There is great hope in believing the truth of the Scriptures.