From ∞ 2 ∞ (Romans 8:28)

     From infinity to infinity. That is the scope. From our perspective, it is beyond understanding. Yet, for the One who is eternal and perfect, nothing is out of reach (Exodus 3:14-15). 

     Romans 8:28 reads, “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.” The Greek word used in this verse for “all things” is πάντα (pronounced panta), and means “always” or “everything.” This is profound; it is not only that some events or seasons will work together for good to those who love God and for the good of His purpose, but all events and seasons will work towards the accomplishment of this end. 

“IT IS NOT ONLY THAT SOME EVENTS OR SEASONS WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD . . . BUT ALL events and seasons will work towards the accomplishment of this end.”

     From a time-bound perspective, this may not seem so straightforward. After all, times of sickness, sorrow, and slump feel anything but good or hope-inspiring in the lives of those who love God. However, from an eternal perspective, everything is working together for good. Thankfully, we have a good illustration for this. When an athlete is going through the hard work of conditioning to get ready for the season, they are probably not filled with unwavering joy in every moment, even when they understand what the end goal is. Yet, when they are performing at their best in the middle of the season, they can look back and be grateful for all of the hardship that they endured both physically and mentally. So it is with all of those who love God when looking back upon the hard times.

     Now, this does not mean that we are obliged to be fake or belie our own perceptions. If you trip on a rock and scrape your knee, you don’t have to express counterfeit joy over it. Even so, Romans 8:28 shows us that we can be hopeful in the midst of every trial and hardship, knowing that it does not last forever, and trusting that there is a greater plan. Psalm 13 is a perfect example of this. David begins by expressing his distress (Psalm 13:1-4), but concludes by resolving to rejoice in the LORD (Psalm 13:5-6). Suffering and evil are a reality in our world, but how we understand such things can be drastically different in light of Romans 8:28, as exemplified by David’s sentiments in Psalm 13. 

     See, I used to think that a lot of events in the world were just random and most of what happened occurred by blind chance with God only intervening for certain things, like what happened to Joseph once he was in Egypt in the Book of Genesis. Gratefully (I use this word because I once had no real peace in the midst of struggle and because we all should strive to think of God rightly), I don’t think the same way anymore. With God intervening for certain events, such as the Joseph story, there were certain things that could not be allowed in order for those events to come to pass. Eventually, I came to ask, “well, who decides what is allowed and what is restrained even in the midst of humans making their own choices, decisions, and plans?” In other words, could someone, out of their own free will, choose to take my life randomly? The action either has to be allowed (not caused) or restrained if someone were to have that intention within this fallen world. Thankfully, I know that whether such a thing would be allowed (not caused) or restrained, the promise of Romans 8:28 would still stand because God is the Sovereign, and only He sees the picture of eternity where we only have temporal perspectives (Acts 17:26-31). 

     Romans 8:28 is not only a verse that encapsulates our hope in the year 2020. It is a promise that stands from eternity past to eternity future. The nucleus of history, the perfect life and sacrifice of The Lord Jesus, is the center of God’s ultimate plan, as Jesus is described as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Acts 4:27-28, and Revelation 13:8). Everything else centers around that. From the beginning, God, The Great I AM, the self-existent, self-sufficient Creator, has had a purpose that is eternal and that will be accomplished. This is beautiful because when our faith is in Jesus, our hope is not in ourselves, in our own circumstances, or in a good situation that may be brought about by chance, but in God. Not in this moment only, but from eternity to eternity.