Have you ever wondered what it means when the Bible says “All things work together for good” KJV Romans 8:28? Oh, you have? What a coincidence that I am writing about it! 🙂
I’ll give you a short answer to this question and a long detailed answer. 😉
Short answer: If something good has happened, we know how that works out for your good. If it is something bad that has happened, God can turn the bad situation into a teaching lesson.
As the psalmist said in Psalm 119:71, It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Now for a more detailed answer. First off, we need to understand what “all things work together for good” does not mean.
“All Things Work Together for Good” – What It Doesn’t Mean
It does not mean God brings bad situations and disappointment in your life to get good. Let me explain this further.
When the enemy attacks us he has only 3 intentions – Kill, Steal and Destroy. God does not intend or cause us to be attacked. However, God uses those attacks to help develop our character or teach us a lesson.
- The enemy steals from us, not wanting us to prosper. God turns it into a lesson of humility.
- The enemy brings confusion into our lives. God teaches us how to trust him more.
- The enemy brings doubt. God uses it to build our faith
God can turn a bad situation into something good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean the bad situation was God’s perfect will in the first place.
“All Things Working Together for Good” – Biblical Examples
E.g. #1 God told Israel not to sin and He would grant them perfect health (Deuteronomy 28: 60-61). That was His will. Nevertheless, they chose their own ways and the curse of sickness came upon them. God turned that bad situation into something good by showing everyone that he is a healer, by healing them of their infirmities.
E.g. #2 God told Joshua and Israel before entering into the promised land not to make a covenant with the enemy. That was God’s will. They were deceived by their enemy, they never asked counsel of God and made a covenant with the inhabitants of the land (Joshua 9). Almost 400 years later, God brought a curse of famine on the land because Saul killed the same enemies they made a covenant with to live (2 Samuel 21). God turned this bad situation into something good by allowing it to be recorded in the Bible so we can learn lessons from this. There are many lessons to be taken from it but I’ll just quickly mention two:
- Always ask counsel of God.
- Covenants can still be enforced even if you were deceived by your enemy when it was made. (This is a whole Bible study here.)
All Things Do Not Work Together for the Wicked
God expects you to learn from the storms that come in your life and grow thereby. Therefore, whether it is good or bad, if you love God and are called by Him, all situations work for your good. It doesn’t work out good for sinners because they don’t learn from their mistakes.
Job 36:7-13
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. 8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; 9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. 10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. 11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. 13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
God expects the hypocrite (sinner) to cry out to God when the storm comes and to turn from his iniquity as the righteous did. But seeing that he wouldn’t, the storm will not work out for his good.
Neither will good things help the wicked:
Isaiah 26:10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
So for the sinners, things are never working out for their good, for whether the situation they face is good or bad, they refuse to turn from their sins and iniquity.