“ALL THINGS!”

 Romans 8:28                                           (ESV)

“[28] And we know that for those who love GOD “ALL THINGS” work together for good, for those who are called according to HIS purpose.”

Recently I typed these words during a message at church.  Even the capitalization was done without much thought.  “GOD gives us ALL THINGS (despair and joyful times) to mold us into vessels that are modifying us FOR HIS GLORY!!!”  In my thoughts regarding Romans 8:28, I should have capitalized FOR GOOD, meaning that GOD would supernaturally change the “bad times” into “good times” just because HE loved me?!?  But when I consider my journey, I have searched for answers more fervently when going through the “bad times” instead of the “good times”, maybe because I desired to never experience the “bad times” again!

The very essence of “ALL THINGS” lets us know that GOD uses good and bad to mature us into, not perfect individuals, but tools that will Glorify HIS NAME.  Not one of us are “so good” as to NOT experience some rough times in life. These troubling times are when GOD often draws me closer to HIM, for I KNOW that I do not have the answers needed to even breathe oxygen into and out of my body. When HE brings pleasant times, it is easy to accept them without acknowledging where they are from.  

GOD WORKS TOGETHER through “ALL THINGS”, no matter how we perceive them, FOR HIS PURPOSE, us becoming more like HIS SON.  HIS SON was brutally sacrificed by GOD (Isaiah 53:10) in order to “atone” for my sins and yours.  We should “rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), even though suffering comes, because GOD is the ONE controlling everything, and HE WORKS “ALL THINGS” for good, for we who are CALLED according to HIS PURPOSE!!!