Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he PREDESTINED he also CALLED, and those whom he called he also JUSTIFIED, and those whom he justified he also GLORIFIED (Rom 8:26-30).
What exactly does it mean that "all things work together for good?" Can we expect our circumstances to turn to from bad to good? Can we count on our circumstances to at least eventually improve, maybe not in quite the way we picture them improving but improve nonetheless?
It’s interesting that God inspired the Apostle Paul to write Romans 8:28 because it was Paul who said:
Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure (2 Cor. 11:24-27).
It was also Paul who plead three times with our Lord to fix his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7-8). But God didn't say to him, “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Instead, He told him “My grace is sufficient for you” and “…My strength is made perfect in weakness...” (2 Cor. 12:9).
It seems to me that Paul’s whole attitude about suffering changed as a result of this prayer experience because He says that he learned to “take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor. 12:10).”
Instead of grumbling at his infirmities, he boasted in them. Not vainly or morbidly, but “for Christ’s sake he had suffered the loss of all things.” In fact, he described them as “light affliction which is for the moment, working for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,” and continues, “while we look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:17, 18)." And, "...I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”(Rom. 8:18).
Then in Philippians 4:11-13 he says, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
So looking at Paul's life, the "for good" in Romans 8:28 does not necessarily mean our circumstances will improve, because they may well not. What does it mean, then?
The context tells us that the "for good" is according to God's will, and that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with His will — because we don't even know how to pray. Well that's certainly true. We pray for healing when it is far better to be at home with the Lord; we pray for needed jobs and think God has abandoned us when we don't receive them; we pray for deliverance from all sorts of problems and when they're not removed, wonder if God even cares. Not that we shouldn't pray for these things, of course, because we're told to pray about anything and everything (Phil 4:6-8). But the fact is, we always want God to fix our problems, when what He wants to show us is the sufficiency of His grace, and His power working within us, conforming us more and more into the likeness of His Son (Gal 5:22-23).
"All things for good", then, doesn't mean that all things will be good in this life — or that our circumstances in this life will improve — but that God is working through all things to our benefit.
Predestined, called, justified, glorified — may we too, like Paul, learn to look beyond our circumstances to Christ and our home beyond, and rejoice in the glory to which He calls us.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Eph 3:20-21).
What exactly does it mean that "all things work together for good?" Can we expect our circumstances to turn to from bad to good? Can we count on our circumstances to at least eventually improve, maybe not in quite the way we picture them improving but improve nonetheless?
It’s interesting that God inspired the Apostle Paul to write Romans 8:28 because it was Paul who said:
Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure (2 Cor. 11:24-27).
It was also Paul who plead three times with our Lord to fix his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7-8). But God didn't say to him, “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Instead, He told him “My grace is sufficient for you” and “…My strength is made perfect in weakness...” (2 Cor. 12:9).
It seems to me that Paul’s whole attitude about suffering changed as a result of this prayer experience because He says that he learned to “take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor. 12:10).”
Instead of grumbling at his infirmities, he boasted in them. Not vainly or morbidly, but “for Christ’s sake he had suffered the loss of all things.” In fact, he described them as “light affliction which is for the moment, working for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,” and continues, “while we look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:17, 18)." And, "...I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us”(Rom. 8:18).
Then in Philippians 4:11-13 he says, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
So looking at Paul's life, the "for good" in Romans 8:28 does not necessarily mean our circumstances will improve, because they may well not. What does it mean, then?
The context tells us that the "for good" is according to God's will, and that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with His will — because we don't even know how to pray. Well that's certainly true. We pray for healing when it is far better to be at home with the Lord; we pray for needed jobs and think God has abandoned us when we don't receive them; we pray for deliverance from all sorts of problems and when they're not removed, wonder if God even cares. Not that we shouldn't pray for these things, of course, because we're told to pray about anything and everything (Phil 4:6-8). But the fact is, we always want God to fix our problems, when what He wants to show us is the sufficiency of His grace, and His power working within us, conforming us more and more into the likeness of His Son (Gal 5:22-23).
"All things for good", then, doesn't mean that all things will be good in this life — or that our circumstances in this life will improve — but that God is working through all things to our benefit.
Predestined, called, justified, glorified — may we too, like Paul, learn to look beyond our circumstances to Christ and our home beyond, and rejoice in the glory to which He calls us.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Eph 3:20-21).
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