My first post in this short series was about The Qualifications of the Promise - who it is meant to include.
In this post I'd like to talk about The Power of the Promise. What makes it true? How is it that "all things work together for good?"
Some naturally optimistic folks have the
attitude, "Well, somehow everything will just work out for me." Not true.
And some “religious” or “spiritual” people have the idea, "I have faith, I am a
spiritual person, and I know that everything will just work out for me." But
again, that’s not true.
Let’s be clear. All things don’t just somehow work together for good. Not everything “just works out.” The most important part of any promise from God’s word is the Lord Himself. And in this case, it is He who makes all things work together for good.
The only reason and the only way that all things"work together for good" is that there is an all-powerful, all-wise, loving, kind, holy, eternal, infinite God who rules and overrules in everything and everyone.
Let’s be clear. All things don’t just somehow work together for good. Not everything “just works out.” The most important part of any promise from God’s word is the Lord Himself. And in this case, it is He who makes all things work together for good.
The only reason and the only way that all things"work together for good" is that there is an all-powerful, all-wise, loving, kind, holy, eternal, infinite God who rules and overrules in everything and everyone.
We get our English word
synergy from the Greek verb "work together." "Synergy" has the idea that the combination of two or more things creates an effect which is greater than the sum of both separately.
The promise means that Almighty God takes a multitude of things: both evil and good, hard and pleasant, momentary events and long-term movements, rational and irrational, tragic and joyful, and He continually “works them together” so that in the end, they become good for "those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."
The promise means that Almighty God takes a multitude of things: both evil and good, hard and pleasant, momentary events and long-term movements, rational and irrational, tragic and joyful, and He continually “works them together” so that in the end, they become good for "those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."
"Works together" is written in Greek as a present tense verb, implying that God has an ongoing involvement in all things to work them together for good for His own.
Taken by themselves, there are things that come our way that seem horrific. But God rules from eternity, determines the end from the beginning, and has wisdom beyond our understanding.
So He takes that which might be tragedy to us, and under His infinitely good, wise, and powerful hand, He changes it and molds it, changes us and molds us, so that it all works out
together for good.
For next time: The Meaning of the Promise - What is "the good" that God is promising?
