His purpose

I was looking at Romans 8:28 the other day, which reads,

.......we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I was thinking, what does it mean that all things work for our good? That's a very sweeping statement. As part of God's Word I'm bound to accept it as it stands, but I want to understand it right. What is "good"? Evidently not a painless, stress free, healthy, conflict free, prosperous life, because none of those things is available to us in all circumstances. In other words, the "good" that is worked for the believer in all things is not necessarily what we would naturally consider good, but it is based on some other criterion.

The key to what this good is I believe is found at the end of the verse:

who have been called according to his purpose

Perhaps this good is identified with God's purpose for us? And what is His purpose? Verse 29 continues,

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The for at the beginning of verse 29 means that what follows is an explanation of what preceded it in verse 28. So if I read this back into verse 28 I can construct a fairly simple declarative statement:

.....in all things God works to conform those who love him to the image of His Son....

To someone who has never tasted the utter balance and peace and rock-solid stability of God's nature, God's idea of good might seem less than compelling, but for someone who has answered His call, there can be nothing better.


If you love the Lord,
you will love His will for you.....
- Keith Green