We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Reflection
The idea that “life must be lived forward, but can only be understood backward,” is attributed to the 19th-century Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard. I’ve often preached it this way: “We typically only see God in the rearview mirror.”
Paul promises that all things work together for the good of those who love God and who are working within God’s purposes.
The problem is that sometimes it doesn’t quite feel that way. It’s often hard to understand how we God could be working for our good in those moments when we face challenges, hardships, or resistance. It’s easy for us instead to believe that God has abandoned or walked away from us. Those feelings are normal and natural. You’d have to be a super-Christian not to feel them.
Actually, no, I take that back. You wouldn’t just need to be a super-Christian. You’d have to be better than Jesus himself. You remember what he prayed in the Garden, don’t you?
So we shouldn’t fault ourselves if, when things get tough, we have our own “Garden of Gethsemane” moments. But we can’t stay there – we can’t stay in the Garden. Instead, we’ve got to try to stay in the promise, because that’s where the hope is. Faith means trusting that God is working all things for our good, even when we don’t (yet) see it.
by Joe Monahan
For Pondering and Prayer
Today, I want to leave you with a worship song from a few years ago called “Your Love Never Fails” by Jesus Culture. If you need to find some hope today, this may be just the thing.
Prayer: Most gracious God, help me to stay in your promises, even when – and especially when – things are difficult. Help me to trust that there will come a day when I can look back and see your hand at work in all the storms I face today. Amen.
