Tension. Do you feel it? Tension exists in the Bible. We feel and live it every day. The fact that God called his creation each day as “good” simply shows that there are things in the world that are not good. At the same time, God called many things good.
The earth. Life. Marriage. The seas. The mountains. The animals. Men and women. Did you notice it? All that is God-made is good.
But not everything is good. We have Genesis 3 to thank for that.
Yes, there’s the earth, but there’s also earthquakes and volcanoes.
There’s life, but there’s also sickness, death and pain.
There’s marriage, but there’s also separation and divorce.
Which is more real? That everything is good or that we live where there is tension between good and bad?
The evidence is clear. Our lives face both good and bad. And we could say that’s just something we have to accept. It’s a tension that we have to live with. We’re going to have some good and some bad in this world. You and I will probably say, “that sucks.”
While in a sense that’s true, I think there’s something we frequently overlook – the REALITY of 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.
If you have time, read that verse again slowly. Notice what it says, “in all things God works for the good…” This changes everything. It eases the tension. Because here’s the truth:
We see in Genesis 1 that some things God makes — He calls them good. But then in Romans 8:28, it says that some things He makes — work together for the good of those who are called and love him.
To be honest, I cling onto the meaning of this verse because I am often faced with both good and bad. Well, there are times when it seems there is absolutely nothing in life that is good. This verse tells me that there is nothing beyond God’s ability to work for our good.
For example, your body, which is good gets terribly sick which is terrible. Your love one who is good and death facing them, which is tragic. Your children, who are good and them walking away from God, which is heartbreaking. And many more cases that can uniquely face us in various ways.
This is why Paul can go on to say in Romans 8:39 that nothing in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God. It’s because there is nothing in all creation that God did not make or that is beyond the scope of His redemptive power to remake.
You might think you’re the exception, but you’re not.
Romans 8:28 isn’t a statement of probability or possibility. It’s a statement of reality. It’s not, a question of MAYBE God can make things work for your good. It is not MAYBE that doesn’t apply to you. Instead … It’s our REALITY… that every second of our lives God is making all things work for your good.
Whether you can see it now or not, your life is one of the greatest testimonies to the goodness and creative capabilities of God you’re ever going to behold. For what He has already given you that’s good. And for how He can redeem your life after it falls apart, or remake your heart after it’s been shattered.
No matter what position you’re in, there’s no place where God’s love cannot find you and recreate you. No matter what you have experienced, your life is stamped by the goodness of God.
Yes, from our viewpoint, from our human perspective, there’s good and bad. But for God, he can turn it all around and work it for our good.