As Christians, we sometimes
mistakenly think that, because we believe in Jesus and trust Him for our
salvation, God will shield us from all pain and heartache and disappointments.
We interpret Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for
those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,” to mean that only
good will come to us.
God never promised us an easy, smooth, care-free life. No, Jesus warned us of just the opposite. “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)
Right now, I am aware of several families who are living the reality that just because they are Christians does NOT mean they are exempt from the hard things in life:
A seven-year-old
son is dying of cancer.
A husband’s
job hinges on a company’s reorganization.
A granddaughter
has been murdered.
Multiple
family members have been diagnosed with cancer.
A 16-year-old
son is using drugs.
An grandfather ‘s bank account has been depleted by unscrupulous family.
A
daughter has taken her own life.
These are terrible, heart-wrenching situations! Where is the “good” mentioned in Romans 8:28? In his book “The Homecoming”, Dan Walsh writes, “God doesn’t just do good. He is good. His goodness flows from His very nature. Because we don’t always understand what He’s doing, some of it doesn’t seem good to us. But that’s where our faith comes into play. We must believe, as Paul says, that God is working all things together for our good.”
But how is it possible to continue in faith? Walsh’s character suggests pondering all the many underserved and unearned good things God has given and continues to give—salvation, support of extended family, prayers of strangers, an unexpected job opportunity, a meal from a neighbor . . .
God has been good to us. Though we may not understand how some current happenings can be considered good, we can trust in God’s innate goodness toward us.
Be encouraged!
