Scripture: Romans 8:28

One of the greatest hardships of the human soul is dissatisfaction. It’s easy to get down about the state of your finances, your house, your spouse, your church, a child that you lost, a family feud, or a physical sickness such as cancer. None of these challenges are easy, yet God promises that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). God has designed every step of your life, including the hard things. Just as He did with Joseph—who was hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and then thrown into a prison after being falsely accused—God is working every trial you face for your good. 

Additional Scripture References:  Genesis 50:20, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Full Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/66e7ca0261d6ad13516565bd

The Greatest Hardships of the Human Soul Romans 8 28, God causes all things to work together for good, for the called, according to His purpose. Romans 8 28, this wonderful declaration that God is in control. At the same time, one of the greatest hardships of the human soul is dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction with what has happened to you in your professional life. What's happened to you with your money?

What's happened to you with your house your spouse? Dissatisfaction with your church And these verses really speak about your intellectual life and how it affects the way that you feel about your life, about the things that you have achieved, the things that you've not achieved, the money that you don't have, the money you wish you had, the house you don't have, the house you wish you had, the heartbreaks you wish you didn't have, the betrayals you wish you didn't have, the child that you lost, the family feud you wish you didn't have, the cancer, the disability, the back problem, all of these things are very difficult. But you have these words in Romans 8 28, we know this is certainty. We know it's true. We might not see it, we might not feel it, but we know it by revelation that all things work together for good.

And he's not saying that all things are good, not all things are good. But God takes all things that are evil and he turns them for good. Thomas Watson says, God's attributes work for good, God's power works for good, God's wisdom works for good, God's goodness, God's promises, God's mercies. He goes on and on and on. But all things work together for good.

God has designed every step of the way of your life. He's hemmed you in behind and before. He knows the thoughts that you have before you have them, the steps that you take before you take them. And God is working all things together for good. Think about Joseph, the favored son of his father.

He was hated by his brothers. He was thrown into a pit. He was sold into slavery. He was then sold again as a slave in Egypt in Potiphar's house. He was lied about and falsely accused by Potiphar's wife.

He was in prison and forgotten in prison. And do you think Joseph was saying oh all things are working so well for good you know but God was and finally after 21 years of betrayal, of dishonor, of imprisonment, after 21 years, all of it is resolved. And Joseph meets with his brothers and he says, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. And Romans 8 28 is there to shape the way that we think about our lives. And we should be praying Lord, I thank you for what you gave me.

I thank you for what you took from me. I thank you for what you gave me. I thank you for what you took from me. I thank you for what you withheld from me and I thank you for teaching me to know because I know that all things work together for good. Ecclesiastes 3 makes this so clear that God makes all things beautiful in his time.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose unto heaven, a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted, a time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down, and a time to build up, a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to sew. A time to keep silence and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace. And then he says, he has made everything beautiful in its time. And that's what the Apostle Paul is trying to instruct us in Romans 8 28, that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord.

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.