Brief Devotions For Busy Lives" by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson: Romans 8:28

 March 24

"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."-Romans 8:28 (NRSV)

Would you appreciate your health without experiencing what it's like to be sick? Would you know what you do today without overcoming your fear that first day of school? Would you be able to realize what is good without experiencing the reality of evil? Yet God used all these difficult experiences for your welfare and transformed your former problems into blessings. As believers, we are never left to only our own personal resources to cope with problems. God ultimately works in "everything" for our good. This doesn't mean all that happens to us is good. Evil is a reality in our fallen world. However, we can rest assured God is able to turn every difficult circumstance around for our long-range good. Our Lord has the ability to not only turn afflictions to blessings but to transform loss to gain!

However, we need to remember God is not working just to make us happy, but to fulfill his larger purposes for our good. Whenever we seek God's purpose for our lives and trust in him, we will find no matter how hard things are that God can and will eventually use all afflictions for our welfare. Challenging circumstances also often show us our real security is in heaven, not on earth. Our faith in God does not need to grow weak in pain or difficulties! We can know with absolute assurance God is with us in good times, hard times, and challenging circumstances. Yet, we also need to realize this promise in Romans is not for everybody but can only be fully claimed by those who love God and are following his purposes and calling. When we do this, God gives a new perspective, a new vision, and a new mind-set. We then have the spiritual eyes to see that today's problems are actually blessings in disguise!

Prayer: God of Transformation, thank you for the gift of hard times and difficult experiences that you intend for my good and welfare through Christ my Lord. Amen.

Meditation For The Day: Today's Pain is tomorrow's Gain.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal Paperback – February 21, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)