My Love and Hate for Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28. The go-to verse in the midst of suffering. The class favorite of scripture memory.  The crowning jewel of Calvinist theology. The verse that when offered up as an anitdote to my problems makes me want to scream "Stop it! Stop it! Don't you dare go there right now!"

Wait, what??! I know, hard to believe, right? Me, the girl who spent 9 months of her college career as the poster child of cage stage, John Piper's #1 fan girl saying "No, I don't want to hear it. Don't even start that Romans 8:28 stuff with me."

Of course, I've never actually rebuked anyone for quoting that verse to me (at least not out loud). But in my heart, I've felt bitter and hard against what I would still consider one of my favorite verses in all of Holy Scripture. You see, sometimes I'm so upset and so bitter and so anxious about my circumstances that I do really stupid things like sinfully shrug off the word of God as, "cliche," "over quoted," or "just not what need to hear right now."

The question becomes of course, what do I need to hear right now? What does the mother of two who is diagnosed with incurable cancer need to hear right now? What does the missionary family fighting to bring their newly adopted daughter into the country with them need to hear right now?

They (and I) all need to hear Romans 8:28.

The trick is to realize what the "good" in  Romans 8:28 is actually talking about. So many times the reason I'm frustrated by this verse is because (to my fallen, finite eyes) nothing about the situation seems to be working for anything remotely "good." How is the death of two young boys' mother possibly for some greater good? How is the bankruptcy of a single parent doing all he or she can to provide even close to good? Though I know the Word of God is true, in those moments I struggle to go the extra step and believe it's true.

Enter context. The "good" of Romans 8:28 cannot be divorced from the rest of the passage. And so we read,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.-Romans 8:28-29 (emphasis mine)

The "for" at the beginning of verse 29 is very important. It means that verse 29 is the grounds on which verse 28 is true. So the reason we can say all things work together for good is because those who love God are being conformed to the image of his son, Jesus. This is good. The Good, if you will. All things are making the children of God more and more like their brother- Jesus. Once you start viewing all things with this good in mind, it starts to make a little more sense. We can see how the trials of this life are indeed perfecting us (James  1:2-4) and how our inner nature is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). We're being made more like Jesus.

This is why I need the Spirit to not only grant me new birth and give me a new heart (John 3:5, Ezekiel 11:19), but I also need him to empower me day by day to love God and His gospel and His kingdom more than my life (Psalm 63:3). Being made into the likeness of Christ is not desirable to the unbeliever. But for those who love God, it's the most desirable thing there is. It is eternal life.

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.-John 17:3

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.-2 Corinthians 3:18

I'm not saying that reciting Romans 8:28 (or any scripture for that matter) will all of a sudden bring great clarity, peace, and warm fuzzies inside no matter the situation. But His promises are true, and they are sweet. God is making us more like His Son and in doing so, bringing me (and you) one step closer to where we all long to be - home.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." -Revelation 21:4-5