A Gentle Correction of My Understanding

 

Where Romans 8:28 and Philippians 1:6 Intersect

Romans 8:28 holds one of the most well-known and often quoted promises in the Bible. We love the encouragement of this verse; the assurance that all things will “work together for our good”. We know that God is the source of the promise and that it is His power and goodness that make it possible. Often we turn to this verse for encouragement and hope when it seems like things are not working out well at all. When we survey the current circumstances and difficulty of our life and find it difficult to see any goodness, resolution or positive outcome, our hope decreases. In these times, some of us turn to a promise like the one in Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

We may look to these words and find comfort and strength. If we believe that God sees us, the adversity we face, and that He can lead us into His plan: then we will be encouraged and our hope will increase. If instead, we are not convinced of God’s power and love toward us, we may conclude that God is distant or unaffected by what we are going through. When we look to our circumstances to define the character or potential of God, we will often end up doubting what scripture says about who God is and how He treats His children. If instead, we look to the truths in scripture to be the foundation from which we interpret our circumstances, we are more prone to faith and expectation.

 

I have heard others say this in reference to Romaans 8:28, “if it’s not good, He’s not done”. It is another way of phrasing the promise. God’s redemptive work is not yet complete if we don’t see the goodness of God amid the circumstances. I also like to think of the promise of Romans 8:28 in this way: “God surveys the circumstances and adversity of my current season and knows exactly what to do with it to bring about blessing and advancement.”.

 

Recently as I was encouraging myself with thoughts and reflections like these on Romans 8:28, I felt the gentle correction of the Holy Spirit. I felt Him saying that I was distorting His promise and intention; that I was applying it in a way that missed the truth. He reminded me of another promise in scripture; “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 I felt the Holy Spirt speaking this correction to my spirit: “your focus in more on yourself than on God”.

 

As I reflected on that and these two promises, I began to understand how I was missing the fullness of what God is promising and how it can instruct and encourage me during adversity. I began to see these two verses as streets or pathways and the intersection of them as the critical point of the life lesson I was now learning.

 

As I reflected, I realized that I would often claim the encouragement of Romans 8:28, but then try to “figure it out”. I would be encouraged that God could take the “mess” of my circumstances and turn it for good. But then I would try to figure out how that would happen. I was taking the promise as instruction and asking what my part was. I was seeking understanding and focusing on action, obedience, and results. The questions in my prayers were things like this: “What are you doing God?” “How will this be resolved?” “What can I do to partner with your redemption in this situation?” “How will this be worked together for good?” The focus was on myself and God’s action on my behalf.

 

Now, as I added the promise of Philippians 1:6, I understood that this focus fell short of God’s heart. What we see in the Philippians promise is that the work is God’s and His alone. Paul is the one who wrote this promise. He says he is confident in God’s ability to complete and perfect every good work that He has begun in us. This work of completion has a long “life-expectancy”; Paul says until the day of Christ Jesus! The focus of this promise is God: His ability, His power, His timeline! It is a promise of completion of the work in our lives which God began. Even in the midst of our lives, the focus is God. It is His work. He began it. He will complete it. The timing is His also.

 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

 

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

 

The intersection of these two promises is a place of trust and belonging. We are confident of our belonging to God and His faithfulness to work in our lives. We expect that He is leading and guiding us into what He has for us and that it is good. We trust His view of “good” as well as the timing and process of how it is completed. Because we are secure in our faith that God has good purposes and plans in our lives, we can rest in his timing. This brings a focus on God’s character which increases hope and faith. Instead of seeking understanding of “how” God will work, we can focus on His faithfulness and power to work. We wait with expectation that is rightly placed on Him and His power, instead of on ourselves and our correct responses.