“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.”  Romans 8:28

This verse is one of the most amazing promises in the Bible and one of the most misquoted!  It is not fatalism where everything that happens is always for the best.  It is not universal, it does not apply to every person in the world.  This is “family truth,” a continuation of the one sided blessings we have in Christ.  All things that happen are not good on their own.  Abuse, robbery, murder, divorce, cancer, abortion are not good.  If you have been on the receiving end of any of these things, you know they are not good in themselves.  Note that is says, “In all things God works for the good”…….God is for you!  God is the one who is working!  What are the “all things?”  The Word of God, prayer, family, church, miracles, blessings and mercies are some of the “all things” in life.  God can take the difficult things that happen, all suffering and pain and turn them into blessings.  No matter what your situation, God is always at work to turn trials into the greatest good in your life.  He doesn’t waste our pain!

My friend Ellen loves the Lord and she emailed me of an experience she had a few years ago in Florida.  She writes:  “I went to the beach one morning to experience the sunrise over Pompano Beach.  God allowed me the privilege of talking to a young woman who said she had come off drugs, got involved in a 12-step program, started to get her life in order, and then got pregnant.  Her plan that day was to go for an abortion.  We read Psalm 139 together…and she talked about testing, so I read her a verse from James.  “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance,” James 1:3-4. 

She said she sat near me because of my smile!  The conversation began when she asked me, “What are you reading…a Bible?”  “Yes.”  “That’s really nice.  Do you know where I could get one?”  I had taken a small Bible along with my personal Bible on that trip (which I usually don’t do); and it was with me along with a little booklet containing the salvation message.  If she didn’t already know the Lord, she was certainly ready!  She prayed to receive Christ that morning and left me with the assurance of Christ in her life, a Bible, a decision to keep her baby and hope.  As I listened, I had the privilege of hearing hope as God gave it to her!  She realized her mother would help her raise the child, her boss was a Christian man who had given her job back after she got off drugs.  She said, ‘I need to talk to him. He’ll help me through this, too.’  When I asked her if her boyfriend would become angry if she refused to have the abortion, she said, ‘I have to take care of my baby and me!’  Earlier I had asked her if she had other abortions and she answered, ‘Yes, unfortunately, one.’  I asked, ‘Do you ever think about your baby?’  She answered, ‘Yes, all the time!’  That may have been the key question the Holy Spirit used to turn her thinking.

Interestingly, Ellen wrote, I was very low key about the plan of salvation, the Holy Spirit urged her on!!  When I opened the booklet to explain God’s gift to her, she started reading it OUT LOUD!  When I explained the prayer of repentance and she could receive Christ anytime and anywhere, she started praying that prayer OUT LOUD!!  I knew without a doubt, I was just a vessel and it was between her and the Holy Spirit.”

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments and His paths beyond tracing out!”  Romans 11:33. 

Your friend, Jean