Do All Things Truly Work Together for Good?

Have you misinterpreted Romans 8:28?

From Alex Grey’s Facebook Post

Romans 8:28 “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.”

You might be familiar with this verse and may even have it memorized. It's often quoted to comfort people during difficult times, suggesting that “All things work together for good.” But what does this promise truly mean? Does it imply that everything in life will turn out fine? When a doctor informs you of a cancer diagnosis, is it accurate to say that all things work together for good? When you lose your job or a loved one passes away unexpectedly, is it still true that all things work together for good? When a doctor says there's little they can do to help your parent, where can you find any good in that? In such challenging situations, many feel that Romans 8:28 is a broken promise. However, this is a false conclusion stemming from a misunderstanding of the verse. This misunderstanding arises because the verse is often taken out of context.

What is the Context of the Verse?

In this section of the epistle, apostle Paul explains that believers in Christ are destined to receive an inheritance from God and are on a path to glory, which helps put our sufferings into perspective. Paul emphasizes that the sufferings we endure in this life are insignificant compared to the future glory that awaits us as people of faith. We eagerly anticipate the time when Christ returns, and both our bodies and souls are freed from our fallen nature and ultimately glorified. Influenced by the Holy Spirit, Paul expresses that we, along with all of creation, inwardly "groan" for this moment.

Until that day arrives, we must rely on the Holy Spirit in our daily weaknesses. When we do not know how to pray for a particular situation, we need to depend on the Holy Spirit to help and intercede for us. Even though we may struggle to interpret our daily challenges or know how to pray about them due to our human limitations, there is one thing we do know: “We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

The first thing to notice here is that this promise is not for everyone, but only for believers. It is for those who love God, or as seen from God's perspective, those who are called according to His purpose. This indicates that not everyone can claim this promise, as not everyone believes in Christ. Therefore, believers should be cautious when using this verse as a promise for a friend or loved one who is not a believer. Please keep this in mind.

We must now ask, what does it mean to say that all things work together for good? Is Paul using the word "good" the way we might be tempted to define it today? Does "good" mean general success, health, financial security, or personal happiness? If so, then that is not what Paul is saying. God does not always seem to be working all things together for good for Christians in those ways. As you know, life can be full of tragedy, even for Christians. Loved ones die, people get cancer, jobs are lost, and children get hurt. If a Christian never experienced any problems, then everyone would want to be a Christian.

So, what is the ultimate good that Paul is talking about? The answer is in the very next verse. Romans 8:29 says “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” There it is. That is the ultimate good for which God is weaving and working all things together: the good of making us more like Christ, or as Paul says, being “conformed to the image of His Son.” This means that we as Christians need to abandon our superficial, worldly definition of what is good and embrace a theologically robust definition of good.

What is the Meaning of the Verse?

From the context, it is clear that this verse is intended for believers. If you have repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, you can trust that God is ensuring that all things work together for good.

Secondly, it is evident from the context that the definition of "good" is different from our usual understanding. In the life of a Christian, everything that happens is meant for a specific purpose: the ultimate good of glorifying God, advancing His purposes, making us more holy, filling us with love, building humility, developing our patience, cultivating our trust in God, and many other things. God uses these circumstances to help us grow spiritually and become more like Him until the day He calls us home to heaven or returns to earth, whichever comes first.

Essentially, God is weaving both the great triumphs and terrible tragedies together for His sovereign purposes in the world—including transforming us. The best example of this is found at the cross of Christ. The evil one believed he had won, but God had deliberately woven the actions of sinful men into something for our greater good, which is our salvation. Acts 4 illustrates this well. After Peter and John were forbidden by the Sanhedrin to preach or teach in the name of Jesus, they reported these events to their people and prayed aloud in their presence. Acts 4:27-28 says “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.”

This is the mystery: bad things happen, but God works them for good. He had already planned for Jesus to go to the cross, and evil men put Him there. Yet this was His sovereign purpose, so that we, the ones who are "called according to His purpose," might receive the ultimate good that emerged even from the height of human evil.

What is the Application of this Verse?

This verse has a powerful application to our lives. We must remember that whatever happens, God is working behind the scenes. Even the worst evils that befall us as Christians serve a greater good. Despite the presence of evil in our fallen world, God can turn every circumstance around for our long-term benefit. How wonderful it is to know that God is actively working to shape us into the person He wants us to be. It is important to note that God’s work is not just about making us happy, but about fulfilling His purposes.

I do not know what kind of situation you are currently facing, but if you are going through a difficult time or suffering, it is natural to ask, "Why, God?" However, a better question might be, "What are you trying to do, God?" When we become believers, we do not change overnight. Traits like anger, impatience, and pride take time to be fully rooted out. God might be using the difficult situations you are facing to remove these things from your life and to conform you to the image of His Son.

So, be encouraged and trust in God's bigger plan. Remember that He is constantly at work, weaving together every moment of your life into a beautiful part of His divine purpose. Embrace the journey, knowing that each challenge and each victory is molding you into the person He designed you to be. And keep in mind, that God's idea of good is much deeper and more amazing than anything we could ever dream of.

May God bless us all!