I know that what it says in Romans 8:28 is true. This was the devotion I read today when I got home.


August 8, 2006
When Bad Things Happen
By John Fischer

When bad things happen to good people we can be assured that this is God, out to make good people better.

There are so many things in life that make us cry, “Why?” “Why me?” “Why now?” I don’t think we are capable of knowing all the answers to these questions. Our lives fit into a vast and complicated tapestry that only God could unravel, because he’s the one making it. There are things that happen in our lives that are tied in an intricate domino effect to something else happening somewhere else that we may never realize in this life. I’ve heard of enough bizarre connections to know this is happening a lot more than we realize. Chalk it up to God’s amazing creativity as he weaves his will into the events of the world.

Someone gets sick, goes to the hospital, and ends up leading the person in the next bed to the Lord. Not only this, but huge growth issues were established in both of their lives when this happened, and this started a chain of events still going on today. And we want to ask “Why?” I have a feeling God might say, “You don’t have time for that answer. Besides, you haven’t lived long enough to see the end of it. Sorry, but I could never explain it all to you. You just have to trust me.”

Our job is to look at what happens in our lives and learn from what God is trying to teach us. There are no mistakes here. God doesn’t go, “Whoops!” or to the angels: “OK, what went wrong here? Which one of you guys had Fischer this time?”

Here’s the truth of the matter: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT) Which is another way of saying that God’s purpose is in everything that you and I go through, whether we are able to see it or not. And that purpose is producing something good in and through our lives, no matter what happens. Do you believe that?

We all have things in our lives in which it is hard – almost impossible – to see God’s purpose. That doesn’t mean anything except that we are shortsighted and short on faith sometimes. That’s when we need to keep on believing and knowing that God is working things out for the best.

What about you? Is something bad happening to you right now? Think back on a time when you felt like this about something that you now see God had a purpose in, and believe that he is at work, doing the same redemptive act with what you can’t see right now and believe. Don’t stop believing.