All Things?

"Don't you Romans 8:28 me!" That was a response that one of my seminary professors said that he gave to a friend who was attempting to console him during a difficult time. He didn't want to hear about God's good purpose in the midst of the loss of his unborn child. He just wanted to grieve. No doubt, there is a time for mourning (Eccl. 3:4). When loss comes it is appropriate to mourn, and we should mourn with others who are mourning (Romans 12:15) so as to aid in their comfort.
However, sometimes I do wonder if we in fact do not allow Paul's words to strengthen us the way he intended for them to strengthen us. "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 NASB) Do we, who are believers, children of God, truly realize that God is working all things, all things, for our good? Do we realize that nothing is circumstance. Nothing is purposeless. Nothing is meaningless. God is using it all for our benefit. He is always looking upon His children out of love. He is always looking upon His children out of love, and His intentions are always for their good. This is possible because Jesus bore the wrath that was due to us (Romans 3:25). And now, rather than being God's enemies, we are called God's children (Romans 5:8-10 and 1 John 3:1). What a freeing truth! What peace it brings! But we doubt. And our doubt causes us to forfeit the comfort that this beloved text can bring us.

I think there are two specific things that we doubt about this verse. First, we doubt that God's intentions are always out of love. One effect of our sin is that it causes us to see God as one who deals with us as a retributive judge rather than a disciplining father. Rather than reminding ourselves that the Cross is sufficient to cleanse us of all past, present, and future failures, we tend to have the self-righteous mentality that God will have to smite us in some way in order to make it right. Therefore, when hardship comes our way, (for those who believe God is sovereign over all things) the temptation is to believe that God is punishing us in a judiciary way rather than disciplining us in a fatherly way.
The second thing that we doubt is that the end result will be "good." This doubt is probably based more on misconception than anything. We begin with a wrong idea about what is "good" for us. Our idea of "good" is sin-tainted and skewed. But Paul tells us in verse 29 exactly what the "good" is that God is working in our lives. "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29 ESV emphasis added). The greatest good (most loving act) that God can do in our lives is to conform us to the image of Christ. This is what God is always working for in His children. So whether the "circumstance" that we face is good or bad, we have the confidence to know that God's intention is for our good, the good that He works for is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ, and He does not fail at His work. Father, grant that we may see Your loving hand in all things, and grant also that we may agree with You about what is good for us.