All Things Work Together
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. —Romans 8:28
The Misuse of Romans 8:28
“Everything Happens for a
Spiritual
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn —Romans 12:15
The Illusion of a Quick Fix:
“
As we
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. —Romans 8:18
As we know that God
We Know that God is
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved;he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day,nor the moon by night.The Lord will keep you from all evil;he will keep your life.The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. —Psalm 121: 1-8
We know God works for our good in
We Know God works in all this for the good of those who
We know that those who love God have been called
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. —Romans 8:18
Engaging in True
Take Away: We may never understand all the things we experience in life. But know this, it isn’t worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us.
Discussion Questions:
1. How can we distinguish between the comfort offered by Romans 8:28 and the oversimplified comfort of phrases like “everything happens for a reason”?
2. In what ways can we offer support to someone who is grieving or in pain, without minimizing their experience or rushing them to a “spiritual solution” too soon?
3. What is your understanding of “spiritual bypassing,” and how have you seen it manifest in your own life or in the lives of others?
4. Why is it important to avoid skipping over emotional and spiritual work, especially when dealing with trauma or grief?
5. Romans 8:28 promises that God works “for the good” of those who love Him, but how do we reconcile this with the reality of suffering and pain?
6. What does “good” mean in this context, and how does this understanding affect the way we approach both suffering and healing?
7. Paul encourages believers to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). How can we practically live out this command in our relationships, especially when we feel uncomfortable with others’ pain?
8. What does it look like to “bear witness” to someone’s grief without trying to fix it, and how does this deepen our connection with them?
9. In the sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of grappling with the goodness of God amidst pain.
10. How has your own understanding of God’s goodness been challenged or deepened through difficult times?
11. How can we hold space for both the pain of life and the truth of God’s goodness without minimizing either?