Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
The Bible teaches that God will work out all things - even the hard stuff - for the good of those who love him. But what kind of "good" are we talking about?
Key Points:
- “Good” does not always mean what we think it should mean. “Situational good” is what we often think of as “good.” Situational good is short-term goodness. It is making more money, being healthy, succeeding in our endeavors, and avoiding hardship, pain, or trial.
- The context of Romans 8:28 indicates that “situational good” is not what God had in mind when he inspired the Apostle Paul to write Romans. If we misinterpret this verse to think that life will always be easy and everything will always go our way because we love God, we will be disillusioned and become bitter at God.
- Romans 8:28 is not promising Christians that life will be abundant with situational good. It is promising “ultimate good” or “big picture good.” This means that we will walk through difficult times and trials and that God will be with us through them. God’s picture of “ultimate good” is is that we would be more like Jesus and have a relationship with him. That doesn’t mean we are protected from every bad thing. It means God uses good and bad things in our lives to form us toward his ultimate goal of making us more like Jesus and more like the people he truly created us to be.
- Ultimate good endures. Money, a nice house, a nice car, etc., are all short-term goods. If our situations cause us to draw closer to God, it leads to ultimate good as we become more and more like Jesus Christ. Despite hardship, we can confidently proclaim that in Christ, good came about because we now know and trust God more deeply.
Quote This:
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Read Romans 8:28. Has anyone ever used this to explain a hard situation in their life? Describe it.
- Describe a situation in your life that was almost too much to bear. How did it affect your relationship with God?
- In your own words, describe the difference between “situational good” and “ultimate good” in God’s eyes. What is God most concerned about for us?
- Read the end of Romans 8. What jumps out at you?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
