This verse is one of the greatest promises in the Bible...but I believe we often make it say to us what it doesn't really say. We want to believe that it means everything in our lives will always be GOOD...rather than that God is always working! In fact, the "good" is actually defined a little better in verse 29 where it says that He determined ahead of time that we might "...be conformed to the image of His Son". That's what is good about what God is doing...He is making us look and act more like Jesus!
What gives me the most confidence is that GOD IS AT WORK in me. To those who love Him and are called (and answer), He does the work in us. He cannot do His work in us if we haven't opened our hearts to receive Him as Lord and allowed His Spirit to do the guiding toward truth (John 16:13).
If God is at work in us...why do we live such defeated lives? I believe one of the reasons is because we doubt He is able to rescue us from ourselves. Holley Gerth in her book YOU'RE ALREADY AMAZING (purchased at Altar'd State, if you need an excuse to go shopping!) she says:
God has physically wired me with strengths
that let me fulfill his purpose for my life. Our
divinely created strengths (fueled by God's power)
are actually supported by our weaknesses because
if we were good at everything, we wouldn't focus on
much of anything.
In other words, He has a plan for who He made you to be...you are already equipped to do amazing things - SERIOUSLY!! In fact, she says: "when you attack yourself, you side with the enemy. God is always for you - that means you can be too".
All that to say, if the God who created the whole universe thinks you are amazing - because He made you that way - then set out today to find out what He wants you to do. He has already told us it is going to be "good"...so head out, friends, to walk that way with Him.
For further study: Genesis 1:26, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 73:26, Ecc. 11:5, John 9:1-5, Acts 5:38-39, 1 Cor. 2:9-10, Eph. 2:10, Phil. 2:12-13,1 John 4:12.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Love,
Holly
