Romans 8:28. We know that all things work together for good
for those who love God.
This passage begins with a lot of emotion—it speaks of
sufferings and glory, groaning while awaiting redemption. But it ends
peacefully, with quiet confidence. The passage speaks in two different places
about what “we know”: “we know that the whole creation has been groaning in
labor pains” and “we know that all things work together for good for those who
love God.” How can we reconcile these two ideas? How can we acknowledge the
real suffering that we see in the world even today, and yet also believe in—and
help to foster—the goodness that is present in others and ourselves? The answer
is through hope, which we can maintain with the support of the Holy Spirit.
Paul urges us to have confidence in God’s call to a “large family” conforming
to Jesus’s image. We must hope for the manifestation of this “with patience,”
letting the Spirit help us. We shouldn’t be impatient for God’s Word to be
recognized, or get annoyed if it takes longer than is convenient for us. We
should be confident in our God, and, in the meantime, live a life in Christ’s
image, doing our part to bring about the glory promised in the paragraph. We
shouldn’t get pessimistic about the world, even when suffering is apparent, but
should keep our faith in God. In daily life, if you’re going through a
difficult time and can’t quite see the light at the end of the tunnel, don’t
stress. Don’t fall into despair. Put your faith and reliance in God, and wait
patiently for the resolution you cannot see, trusting that God will help you
pull through and deliver you into salvation.
—The
Williams Family
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