All Things?
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Consider the last really bad day you had. Maybe you got a bill you weren’t expecting, or received not-so-good medical news. Contrast that to what Paul tells us in Romans 8—that “all things” work together for good. You know that cliché that says the longest journey is the 18 inches from your head to your heart? That applies here. Our heart grieves for the friend whose wife has decided to leave him after 16 years because she doesn’t love him and “isn’t sure she ever did.” (Ouch.) And our head says, How can that work for good?
The hard reality is that man was created by a perfect Creator but then stepped in it in the Garden. Thus, the “poo-pay” of life (insert Jamie Tart accent from Ted Lasso); the pressures of life here on earth. You and I may very well go to our grave wondering why that wonderful young wife at work died and left four children and a husband behind. That’s the human heart. If we didn’t ponder that dilemma, it would be strange.
But here’s a spiritual hack for processing the pressures and losses we see all around us. It’s found in Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The key is that God has given us this peace—it is a gift. It transcends—rises above—earthly understanding. This is not the world’s definition of peace; it is from God’s eternal perspective. And he’s given us access to this gift of supernatural peace so we can live above our circumstances, rather than be destroyed by them.
That doesn’t mean we won’t hurt or get upset or grieve—those are emotions God gave us. But, it’s critical to walk into God’s peace if we want to understand that all things really do work for good. God wants us to accept this gift of peace—to own it and wear it. This world promises continuing problems. No getting around that. The question is this: When the waves of worry come, will you grab ahold of God’s peace, or be buried in the depths?
Father, help me accept the peace you offer as a free gift, and may it help me overcome the world.