“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 KJV
All things work together for good. Now I like all good things. (Who doesn’t?) But we usually deal with uncomfortable situations or bad circumstances, financial dilemmas or career challenges, natural catastrophes or physical tragedies; and as far as we’re concerned, none of these things are good. We don’t like facing them. But God is fully able to take these negative situations and turn them into something positive. That’s what “all things work together for good” means. It means that regardless of the bad situations that we deal with in life, God will turn them into something good if we love Him and are walking in His will. This is a great promise to all God’s children, but it comes with big conditions.
Now God has two conditions for His children to access this incredible promise.
First, and foremost, you must love God. God died for those who despise Him, but He doesn’t turn the evil in their lives to good. They are not called according to his purpose to do evil. To be called according to his purpose means that God has chosen them to accomplish His purpose in their lives and in His church, and that they are obeying Him. To accomplish God’s purpose means to choose God’s will over your own; to put your service to God before yourself. Lost people can’t do that. Since they do not love God and they’re not called into service for God, they cannot be called according to his purpose. So all things do not work together for good for the lost.
Also, Christians who are out of the will of God, living for themselves or in sin will find that all things do not necessarily work together for their good. Why not?
Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Believers who are not living a life of obedience to Christ don’t really love Him. Romans 8:28 applies to those people who truly love God and are living in obedience to Him. Then, and only then, can they trust that all things will work together for their good.