It's For Your Own Good
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Do All things really Work Together for my Good?
Do All things really Work Together for my Good?
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.
Rejoice in suffering
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Trials are a test of faith.
The result of Faith under pressure is patience.
the result of patience is perfection
Perfection means: complete, whole, entire, finished…etc…
Enduring conflict is one way that we learn, grow and develop
We endure for a reason.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
We live in a time of shortcuts.
People take shortcuts while driving. (which might actually be longer mileage but shorter time)
People have microwaves to nuke their food.
Fast food chains are now using apps to order on so you don’t have to wait in line.
I’ve heard it said that there are no shortcuts when it comes to righteous living. but I beg to differ.
Obedience is the only shortcut of righteous living.
If we obey God early on in our trials it will exempt us from some of the struggles later on.
Illustration: of a straight path and a zigzag path
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Obedience doesn’t mean we will not have bad things, IOW “TRIALS”. It simply means we will suffer and sorrow less through them because we know God it perfecting us through our hardships.
If we endure we WILL receive a crown of life…IF We love Him.
How do we love God? John said we love God IF we keep His commandments.
Let me remind you of what we’ve already studied in Romans chapter 5.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Paul wrote about suffering in 2 Corinthians before he ever wrote to Rome.
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,
14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
You need to understand that Paul is writing the church at Corinth because the church was questioning some of his appointments and ultimately his Apostleship. They felt that Paul had suffered to much to be an Apostle.
So when Paul speaks of being hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— he is speaking from experience.
Paul even gives a list of his suffering in .
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
The Old Testament gives us a beautiful story to illustrate very well. It is the story of dreaming Joseph.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.”
16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying,
17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?
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.
21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
God wants to restore those who are suffering.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.