“…all things work together for good to those who love God…” – Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28 doesn’t just promise that “all things” are working—it assures us they are working together and for good. That means nothing in your life is random, wasted, or out of sync. Every joy and every sorrow, every success and every setback, is moving under the hand of a sovereign God. Like the gears of a clock—some turning forward, others seemingly backward—God is orchestrating every detail to bring about His perfect timing. As Martin Lloyd-Jones once shared, even when the parts seem to move in opposite directions, they are all working toward the same purpose. And like a skilled chemist, God takes even the bitter and broken pieces of life and blends them into a healing elixir for the soul. This is not chaos—it’s divine synergy. It’s not just energetic—it’s harmonious.
But what is all this working toward? Paul says it’s for good. Not that all things are good, but that God uses all things for good. The Greek word Paul uses—agathos—means inherently good, even if it doesn’t look that way on the outside. This is not surface-level good; it’s soul-deep good. Psalm 25:10 says, “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep His covenant.” That means even the hard paths are lined with mercy. God’s goodness is both temporal and eternal. Right now, He is refining you, renewing you, and shaping you into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Trials may grieve you, but they are purifying your faith like gold (1 Peter 1:6–7). And one day, when you stand in glory, you’ll see how every thread was woven with purpose.
This isn’t just a New Testament truth—it’s the story of God’s people throughout history. In Psalm 66, Israel testifies, “We went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” Even in exile, God told His people in Jeremiah 24 that He had sent them away for their own good, to give them a heart to know Him. So trust the harmony of God’s hand. Don’t judge the song by a single note. Don’t measure the journey by a single mile. Whether you’re in a season of fire or fulfillment, God is working all things—yes, all things—together for your good. Let that truth anchor your soul and draw you closer to the One who is always working, always refining, and always loving you into the image of His Son.
“How wonderful is the providence of God in overruling the most disorderly things, and in turning to our good things which in themselves are most pernicious!” – Arthur W. Pink
surrendered devotions 