“And we know that for those who love God all things
work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
If you have been in an evangelical
church for any length of time whatsoever you have heard this verse. If you grew up in an evangelical church you
memorized it as a kid and have never forgotten it. If you have ever had to go through a personal
tragedy or loss you have had someone from your church or from another church
quote this verse to you with the intention of comforting you. It goes something like this, “I’m so sorry
for your loss/trouble/problem; but you know that “all things work together for
good!” And if you have ever ministered
to people in such difficulties you have probably used this verse to try to
reassure or comfort them. This verse
often doesn’t do much in the way of comfort because most of the time we are
left with the thought, “Well, I sure can’t see any good coming from this! I just see pain and hurt!”
But that still leaves us wondering about the good that God is working in our lives through the trials and suffering we encounter in times of tragedy and loss. That’s where the next verse comes in!
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
We don’t have to sit and wonder what
God is doing in the middle of our pain! God
actually tells us what the good is that he is bringing about in our lives! He is conforming us “to the image of his Son!” He
has a plan for those of us whom he loved and called. He has predestined us to be made over and
shaped into the likeness of Jesus Christ!
He’s making us like Jesus! And
that takes a lot of shaping and modeling!
When I think of all the ugliness in myself that God has to take off it
is no wonder to me that it hurts sometimes!
But the encouragement and comfort that is available in these verses is
God’s goal for me! In the end I will
look like Jesus!
One more thing. It’s not about me. It’s not about us. It’s still all about Jesus! God is doing this work on us so that Jesus “might be the firstborn among many brothers!” It’s like the opposite of cloning! Clones grow from the DNA of the
original. They are genetically identical
from the very beginning. We are as far
from the DNA of Jesus as possible! So we
have to be reshaped and be made to be like Jesus. God injects the DNA of Jesus into our souls
through the person of the Holy Spirit and he begins to work on us from the
inside out! He uses the pain and
suffering of circumstances in our lives to carve away the sin and evil in our
lives. And he does all this so there
will be many brothers who are just like Jesus!
Twins! Triplets! Quadruplets!
Quintuplets! And on and on it
goes as Jesus is glorified in the sanctification of the church!
