All Things Work Together for Good
When all is not well and we are experiencing a hard trial in life, it can be difficult to maintain hope as we navigate the arduous path before us. I have found that the best way to gain any hope is to turn to Bible scripture which will then point me to the God of all comfort, (2 Corinthians 1:3).
A Bible verse that has encouraged me numerous times is Romans 8:28 in which the Apostle Paul states, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Paul reveals that for us who love God, all things work to our benefit and not to our detriment. To grasp the weight of this statement, I suggest that you read the list of things that Paul suffered as he labored to spread the Gospel which he mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28.
Every time I read of Paul’s suffering and then consider what he states in Romans 8:28, I am encouraged because I realize that as bad as things can become, it will all work together for my good because I love God.
My Testimony
In 2009 The Lord led me to quit my job in Atlanta and move to California. I had a verbal agreement with an employer there before moving but when I arrived in the state, the employer never allowed me to start so I had to look for a job.
The cost of living in California is extremely high. Homelessness is a guarantee if you are not employed and have no support. Despite this, I was never homeless and never hungry, but it was still a tough experience.
One day I traveled over two hours from where I was staying at the time to meet with a representative from an agency who could potentially help me secure employment. It turned out to be a waste of time. On the way back I captured the picture below using my cell phone.
Taking the photo was not a wise decision, and I would not repeat it, but I will use it to make a point.
In the picture, I am driving through a mountainous area in the densest fog that I have ever seen. As you can tell, the distance I was able to see ahead of me was limited. I had vehicles appearing and disappearing all around me. There were areas in which just off the road the terrain dropped thousands of feet.
The photo mirrored my circumstances at the time. I could not see any hope ahead of me. My future looked very bleak. I had obeyed God and in doing so it appeared that I was facing imminent ruin. I must admit that in that moment I did not believe that the things I faced were working together for my good, but now in hindsight, I can say that they were.
Moving to California was one of the best things that I have ever done in my lifetime. All the hardships and difficulties worked together for my good, naturally, and spiritually. If I were able to, I would not go back and change anything.
Having gone through that experience then, I am encouraged as I face tough things now because I have learned that although some things are not good, God can cause all that I encounter to work together for my good and so I press on in fulfilling his will for my life and I encourage you to do the same.
