5 Things to Remember When “Everything Is Going Wrong”
When we think “everything is going wrong”, God is actually working things out for our good; for a greater purpose.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
This is my favorite scripture. Throughout my years as a Christian this verse has been my staple, my go-to passage. It perfectly summarizes my life’s journey up until this point in one sentence. This one sentence is so powerful; it’s words so full of meaning.
Here are 5 Things to Remember When “Everything Is Going Wrong”:
You Are Not Alone
One of the first things that stand out for me in this verse is that it lets us know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him”. This reassures us that God is with us, through all things. He is there with us every moment of our lives.
Although we may have times in our lives when we experience being without the physical presence of someone; a friend, a spouse, a relative, etc. to talk to and share our burdens with, this verse comforts us by knowing that God is always there.
I am reminded that God is with me even in my most vulnerable moments; my happy moments, my sad moments, and my quiet moments.
He is there during all things. Even when “Everything Is Going Wrong”.
He Is Working On Your Behalf
God is not only always there with us through all things, but the bible says He is working too. “ In all things God “works” “, lets us know that He is making things happen.
While I am crying, or sad, or hurt, or even experiencing my happy life moments, God is at work in my life. He is not sitting idly by watching and waiting.
God is busy ordering, directing and orchestrating the fine details of our lives. He is in control when we feel out of control. We have to trust that God is working on it, He is there and knows what we are dealing with.
He Is In Control of the “Bad” Things Too
God not only works on our behalf during the good times to bless us with that new promotion, or new house, or something that we have prayed and asked Him for, He is also in control of those bad situations that we have.
God takes our tragedies and our trials and works them together to make something good emerge.
Here is an example of what I am talking about. You lost your job and thought it was the end of the world. While you were unemployed, you were able to have time to do that writing you have always wanted to do, and were able to use your gift to encourage others by writing your testimony and sharing it with others.
You were able to write a bestselling book that not only provided you with income and new career, but you were also able to bring glory to God in the process.
He worked your tragedy into a triumph. Had you not lost your job, you never would have been able to become a bestselling author.
He Has A Purpose For You
We have learned so far that God is always with us, He is working on our behalf, and He is working for our good. But this passage also lets us know that He has a purpose for us too. So, all of the work He is doing is about purpose.
Note that it does not say that it is for your purpose, but “according to His purpose”. So, God is working to ensure that His purpose for your life is fulfilled.
What you are trying to do and God’s purpose for you may be completely different. This may be a reason why God has not given you some of the things you have prayed for. They may not be a part of His purpose for you.
Just as in the previous example, the job that you were fired from may have been something you really thought you needed, however, God moved it out of the way so that He could fulfill His purpose in your life by bringing honor and glory to Him through your writing and personal testimony.
He Wants You To Love Him
God does have requirements for us so that He can work these things on our behalf. We have to “love Him”. God wants us to love Him by showing that we have faith and trust Him to direct our lives. He can only accomplish His purpose for our lives if we are willing.
In order to do that, we have to love Hm, which means we must submit to Him and allow Him to take the lead in our lives.
We have to be willing to answer the call He is making for us to follow Him. Also, we have to be willing to let go and stop trying to manage things the way that we want to. We have to relinquish our control and let His will be the priority.
God has provided His word to use as a road map, to navigate life. It is a source of knowledge, encouragement, inspiration, instruction and discipline. It, along with the Holy Spirit we have received, is the light to guide us on the path to His purpose for us.
We should regularly study it, meditate on it, and learn it, to stay armed and ready for the battles that we will face throughout our lives. Not just when “Everything Is Going Wrong”.
