Day 12 — God Works for Good

“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.”

— Romans 8:28 (BSB)

Have you ever watched someone bake a cake? If you tasted each ingredient by itself, some would be pretty gross. A spoonful of flour? Dry and yucky. Baking soda? Bitter. A raw egg? No, thanks! But when the baker mixes them all together in just the right way and puts them in the oven, something delicious comes out.

That’s a little picture of Romans 8:28.

Notice what this verse does not say. It doesn’t say that everything that happens is good. Lots of things that happen are bad: sickness, hurtful words, sad goodbyes, unfair treatment. God doesn’t pretend those things are good, and neither should we.

What the verse does say is that God “works all things together for good.” God takes everything that happens in the life of someone who loves Him, even the bad and painful things, and He uses it for good. Like a baker mixing ingredients, He can take things that seem terrible on their own and bring something good out of them.

Sometimes you can see the good pretty quickly. Maybe a hard time made you more understanding of other people. Maybe losing a friend led you to a new friend who’s even better for you. But sometimes you won’t be able to see the good for a long time, maybe not until heaven. That’s when we have to trust.

Look at the first words: “And we know.” Not “we hope” or “we guess.” Paul was sure. How could he be so sure? Because of the cross. The cross was the worst thing that ever happened: the perfect Son of God, killed by cruel people. But God used it for the greatest good ever, saving everyone who believes. If God can bring good out of the cross, He can bring good out of anything.

So when something bad happens, you can be honest about how much it hurts. And you can also hold on to this promise: God isn’t finished yet. He’s still working.

Think about it: Can you think of a time when something bad happened, but later God brought something good out of it?

Try this: Think of something hard in your life right now. Pray, “God, I don’t understand this, but I trust You to work it for good.”

Dear God, thank You for the promise that You work all things together for good for those who love You. When hard things happen, help me trust that You are still working, even when I can’t see it. I love You, and I trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.