All Things. Advent Day 16. December 16, 2013.

All things work for good for those who love God.

Romans 8:28

This isn’t a cop-out

but a comfort.

I love this verse so much

but I think it can be seen in the wrong light at times.

All things work for the good of those who love God.

Assuming we are God-loving individuals,

then all that we do will work for good.

While this verse is a comfort,

too often,

it is more of an excuse than anything.

Here’s why:

It is a comfort for the mere fact that if we truly make a mistake in the plan that God has for us, 

He can still make good of it.

If we pray and pray and truly think we are supposed to go left,

but God really wanted us to go right,

He can still make good of it.

He can still utilize our decision.

Our decision was made to the best of our God-following and God-loving abilities.

There is huge comfort found in that.

I know that I make mistakes all the time.

Regardless of how hard I try to stay on the path God has set out for me,

I make mistake in terms of what step I am supposed to take next.

But He can still make good out of my mistakes.

That is incredible

and that is a huge comfort.

However,

I think this verse is too easily used as an excuse and a cop-out.

If God can make good out of my “mistakes” then I am going to do whatever I want,

and call it a mistake.

This verse is often taken advantage of.

There’s no point in that.

Of course, we all may do this at one time or another.

We all have major slip-ups.

But just remember,

He knows your heart.

He knows your intentions.

He knows the different between a mistake and a “mistake”.

He is ready to clean up the messes that we make.

He is willing to make good out of our missteps.

He is generous enough to make all things work together for good.