When "Good" Doesn't Feel Good

Understanding Romans 8:28-29

I recently heard someone say that comfort is the god of our generation, and it struck a chord with me. Maybe that’s why verses like Romans 8:28 are so frustrating to so many:

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

Some translations say it like this: “God works all things together for good” or “God works in all things for the good.”

If you weren’t already frustrated, you might be now—because that verse says in all things.

Name your thing right now, friend. Be honest about it. What is the thing that has you frustrated? Grief? Loss? A health crisis? A broken relationship? A dream unfulfilled? Whatever it is, God sees you, and I understand, because when I look at my own struggles—when I name my thing—I have to ask, How has this made my life more comfortable? And the truth is, it hasn’t.

So how can I trust that God works all things together for my good when my thing feels anything but good?

Redefining "Good"
Thankfully, the Apostle Paul keeps writing.

“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 8:29

Paul tells us exactly what God’s definition of “good” is—to be conformed to the image of His Son. That changes everything, doesn’t it!? If my definition of good is comfort, ease, success, or stability, then my thing feels like a betrayal. But if God’s definition of good is becoming more like Jesus, then my thing—even the hardest, most painful part of my life—can have purpose.

When the Hard Things Become Holy Things
It’s not my own effort or striving that makes me more like Jesus. It’s not the fruit of my ambition or my desire to “be better.” It’s actually the very thing I wish I could erase from my life. The thing that makes me feel weak—that’s the very thing God wants to use to make me more like Him, and not just for my good—for the good of the whole world!

Open Your Hands
So, whatever your thing is today, friend, open it up to Him. Don’t try to fix it, don’t try to hide it, because the thing you thought disqualified you from God’s goodness, that’s the very thing He wants to use for your good and His glory. Even when it doesn’t feel good, He is still working!

​If God's definition of "good" is making us more like Jesus, how might your hardest struggle be shaping you into His image?