We Win!

UNSHAKEABLE: I am not sure what I would do without this theology: God causes everything that happens to me, both good and bad, to work to my good and His glory. Now understand that Paul isn’t saying God causes all things, but that He causes all things that occur in my life to work toward his purpose for me. He sovereignly orchestrates every single event in my life — suffering, sickness, and yes, even my sin, along with my successes and accomplishments — for my good in this world and for his glorious life for me in the world to come.

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8 has to be one of the most encouraging chapters in the entire Bible. And this section, Romans 8:28-39, is the summit of encouragement. I hope you will read all twelve verses in it today — and perhaps every day for the rest of the week.

I am not sure what I would do without this theology — that God causes everything that happens to me, both good and bad, to work to my good and His glory. Now understand that Paul isn’t saying God causes all things, but that He causes all things that occur in my life to work toward his purpose for me. He sovereignly orchestrates every single event in my life — suffering, sickness, and yes, even my sin, along with my successes and accomplishments — to my benefit in this world and for the glorious life he has prepared for me in the world to come.

But keep in mind that He gets to define what is beneficial and good for me. After all, He is God and I am not. And what He has defined as good for me is found in the very next verse, Romans 8:29,

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

For the time being, put aside your questions about predestination and focus on the word “conform.” The word in the Greek text is the same from which we get our word, “morph,” or “metamorphosis.” What is the good that all things are being divinely leveraged in your life? Simple, yet profoundly this: That you are being chiseled by circumstances and events and interactions each and every day into the very likeness of Jesus Christ. And that is the highest good possible, my friend, because that lasts for both time and eternity.

That is God’s great and unstoppable purpose for you. He is committed to that as much as He is committed to anything in this universe. And therefore, “if God is for you, who can be against you?” (Rom 8:31) If God was willing for His Son to die such a horrible death on the cross just to morph you into that which was worthy of eternal life, what else could prove His both the depth of His indescribable love and the irresistibility of His divine purpose for you? (Rom 8:32) Is there anything in all of creation that can stop God’s love or thwart God’s purpose in remaking you into the image and likeness of Jesus? Nothing … nada … zero … zilch … zip! (Rom 8:33-39) The fact is, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom 8:37)

Bottom line: We win! I mean, really win in the only way that counts — which is looking, thinking, acting and being just like Jesus!

You are a winner! Go with it!