When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
Romans 8:28
September 29, 2024
“Dear Lord, thank you that we can meet together this day. We pray that you would please speak to our hearts this day, and calm our fears, and let us know inside ourselves that we can trust you, totally. You are our provider, and you promised to never forsake us. In Jesus name, Amen.
BIBLE READING
Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
INTRODUCTION
A man was going through a tough time.
He had lost his job, and nothing seemed to be working out.
Day after day, he prayed, but nothing changed.
He began to wonder, “Does God even care? Is He still in control?”
Then one day, he got a call for a job interview.
It wasn’t the job he had wanted, but he decided to go.
Little did he know, that job would lead him to meet new people, develop new skills, and eventually, it became the best job he had ever had.
Looking back, he realized God had been guiding him all along, even when it felt like everything was falling apart.
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want.
We face disappointments, setbacks, and trials that make us wonder if God is really in control.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is always working for our good, even when we can’t see it. Today, we’ll explore how we can trust God’s plan, especially in the hard times, and learn to see His hand at work in our lives.
Today we are going to examine this verse, and find peace in knowing that God is always working for our good, even in trials.
GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES
A young boy watched as his grandmother carefully wove a rug.
He couldn’t understand why she was putting certain threads together—they didn’t seem to match.
But when the rug was finished, it was beautiful, and everything made sense.
From his small perspective, he couldn’t see the whole picture, but his grandmother had the perfect design in mind all along.
Like the boy watching his grandmother, we often don’t understand what God is doing in our lives.
Things might seem confusing, and we might wonder why certain things are happening.
But Romans 8:28 assures us that God is always working behind the scenes.
He has a plan, and every thread of our lives, even the hard times, has a purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord."
TRIALS CAN LEAD TO BLESSINGS
A farmer once had a horse that ran away.
His neighbors said, “How unlucky you are!” The farmer replied, “Maybe, maybe not.”
The next day, the horse returned with several wild horses.
The neighbors exclaimed, “How lucky you are!” The farmer replied again, “Maybe, maybe not.”
Shortly after, the farmer’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg.
The neighbors said, “How unfortunate!” The farmer replied once more, “Maybe, maybe not.”
A week later, soldiers came to the village to recruit young men for the army, but because of his injury, the son was not taken.
The farmer knew that even in trials, blessings can come.
Often, we see trials as setbacks or punishments, but God can use them to bring about blessings we never expected.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can turn even our struggles into something good.
We may not see the blessing right away, but we can trust that God is working everything out for our good.
James 1:2-3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."
Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."
2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
TRUSTING GOD BRINGS PEACE
There was a man who loved to go sailing.
One day, while out on the water, a storm hit.
The wind and waves were fierce, but the man didn’t panic.
He trusted the strength of his boat and knew how to navigate through the storm.
After some time, the skies cleared, and he sailed safely to shore.
His confidence in his boat and his knowledge of sailing kept him calm through the storm.
When we trust in God’s plan, even when we face trials, we can find peace.
We don’t have to understand everything or have all the answers.
Just like the man in the boat, our trust in God’s power and goodness gives us the confidence to face life’s storms without fear.
Romans 8:28 teaches us that we can rest in the knowledge that God is working all things for our good.
This brings us peace in the middle of the storm.
Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
SUMMARY
Romans 8:28 teaches us that God is always working for our good, even when we don’t understand what’s happening.
Trials can lead to unexpected blessings, and God uses even our struggles for His purpose.
Trusting God’s plan brings us peace, even in the middle of life’s storms.
CONCLUSION
Remember the man who lost his job and felt like God wasn’t listening.
In the end, God was leading him to something better all along.
Just like that man, we may not always understand what God is doing, but we can trust that He is always working for our good.
When we face trials, let’s hold onto the truth of Romans 8:28 and trust God’s plan, knowing that He sees the bigger picture and has a good purpose for everything.
PRAYER
“Dear Lord, thank you for your Word. Thank you that you have the big picture, and your plan and purpose for each of us will stand. Help us please to walk in faith, trusting you, and that all this will work together for good. In Jesus name, Amen.”