In this post, discover the powerful and inspiring meaning of Romans 8:28 and learn what it really means for God to work all things for good.

One of the most popular verses today is Romans 8:28. However, a lot of people have misquoted, misapplied, and misunderstood this verse. As a result, not all Christians comprehend the deep and real meaning of Romans 8:28.

So today, to help you better understand what this verse really means, let me share with you my Romans 8:28 commentary and Bible study guide.

Romans 8:28 starts with “We Know”

Romans 8:28 tells us: 

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

The first thing Paul said here is that “we know.” 

This is something that we should know or should have already known. Paul reminds us that this promise, this verse, should always be something that we know. 

Why?

Because there are a lot of things in this world that would make us forget the Romans 8:28 promise. In some cases, we may not forget it, but we begin to doubt. We start to question if this portion of the Bible is really true. 

So, Paul was saying, “We know” and we SHOULD know. 

Romans 8:28 says “all things”

And what is that we should know, brethren? 

It says, “And we know that all things work together for good.” 

Now, this verse didn’t say some things, a few things, or almost all things. 

The Apostle Paul mentioned that ALL things work together for good. 

Romans 8:28 says “together”

However, you might say, getting sick is not good. 

Losing a job is not good. 

Breakups in marriages are not good. 

Offenses among brethren are not good. 

Losing a loved one is not good. 

And the list just goes on and on. 

However, the keyword here, brethren, is the word “together.” 

The problem with most of us is that we try to isolate a problem. We put it in one compartment in our life and label it as problems, trials, difficulties. We forget that these problems are a part of a greater plan of God. 

You see, friends, God can use the bad things in our lives to accomplish His purpose. 

Listen to this: 

God will NEVER allow something to happen if it will prevent you from getting into His Kingdom. 

How do I know? 

Because Luke 12:32 tells us that the Father’s pleasure is to give us the Kingdom. It is something that makes Him glad, joyful, and happy. 

Thus, when a trial happens in your life, God allowed it NOT to prevent you from entering His Kingdom, but to prepare you for your God-given purpose and destiny.

Romans 8:28 analogies

Think about this, the good and bad things in life are like ingredients in baking. You must have all the ingredients to work together to produce a delicious cake. You can’t simply focus on one ingredient and say it is bad. You can’t produce a cake if you only have eggs or you only have salt. 

Maybe, you only have a few ingredients in your life. Perhaps, you only have sugar and flour. However, if you stay in faith, God, by His purpose, will provide you with the right ingredients. 

He will provide you the ingredients of healing, promotion, good breaks, favor, and the solutions to your problem you never expected to happen.

Don’t complain simply because you are still baking. 

Don’t say it’s over when you have just started gathering the ingredients. 

You will eventually see how delicious the “cake” is once all the ingredients work together and bring you joy, peace, and blessings.

In the same manner, a car battery produces power through the negative and positive currents that run through it. How can it produce power if all you have is a positive current? 

In the same way, brethren, you need the trials in your life to produce the godly character God wants you to build needed for you to reign in His Kingdom. 

Maybe, you also have that experience where God closed a door and led you to something better. I remember one of our members here who lost her job because of keeping God’s commandments. A few weeks later, a fire broke out and destroyed her former workplace, killing dozens of people. If she hadn’t left that place and compromised in doing the will of God, she would have been one of those people killed. Yes, it was bad to lose her job, but it was good.

The ultimate good that God can provide

You see friends, whatever trial you are going through, maybe you have lost a loved one, you have lost your job, lost your income, your health, your friend, your property, or whatever bad things you may be going through, let me tell you, those things may be bad, but God can use them for good. 

Yes, your situation may not change right now or your life is becoming something you never planned it to be, but remember, if you stay in faith and endure until the end, God works all things for the ultimate good! 

What is that “good,” brethren? That is giving you eternal life. Our final destination would be ruling in God’s Kingdom and that, for us, is the best way God can make all things work together for good. 

That’s why brethren, instead of going on through life bitter, feeling sorry for yourself, depressed and defeated, you can pray, “Father, I might be in a bad situation right now and I may not understand why I’m going through this, but I trust you, I believe in you, I have faith in you that all these would eventually work out for good.” 

You might be in a bad situation right now but stay in faith, stay in course, because God is preparing you for something bigger and better. 

What I’m telling you brethren is that we don’t see the big picture yet. We may not understand what’s going on and why you’re going through a trial, but like what the Apostle Paul said, “We know” and we must know that ALL things, not just some things, but all things work together for good.

Romans 8:28 does not apply to everyone

Now, the problem with a lot of people is that they stopped reading Romans 8:28 halfway. As a result, they missed an important aspect of the promise given in Romans 8:28. What is it? 

It says, And we know that all things work together for good… for whom? 

To those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

This promise is given to those who love God and to those whom He has called. If you don’t love God, don’t expect this promise to apply to you. As long as you love God, all things will ultimately work out for good. It may not be during this lifetime, but it will surely be in the life to come.

As long as you are loving God and doing His purpose in your life, you can simply surrender everything to Him. You can be at peace. You can have the confidence that no matter what happens in your life, okay, as long as you are loving God and doing His purpose, God will work all things out for good.  

So, to close this message brethren, let me read to you once again Romans 8:28: 

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