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The promise of Romans 8:28 serves as a lens through which you (and I) can have a godly perspective on your life, from birth to death:
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Because of the words in this scripture, you can know that your good God is working the miracle of using the bad—everything, from the most minor of incidents to the greatest of tragedies—for good. Counting on the fact that the end of all things will be good gives us hope. It also helps us to be faith oriented—not feeling oriented—about our present pain.
Feelings distort our vision. And today’s obstacles often prevent a hopeful and faith-filled view of the end. But by responding to God’s love, by loving Him with all your mind and trusting in Him, you will be blessed with hope in His promise that He works in everything to bring about what is good.
But, the words “to those who love God” are important because the promise of Romans 8:28 is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God. How do we show God our love for Him? Christ answered this question in just seven words: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Another version of the Bible succinctly says, “If you love me, obey me.”
It’s obvious that our love for God is measured by our obedience. So take a few minutes—now and regularly—to look at your life and evaluate how closely you are following God. When I do this, I take a pen and paper and run a check of the elements of my entire life. I ask myself, “Is there anything wrong in my relationship with God?” and I write down my answer.
I then ask the same question regarding my husband, my children, my parents, my in-laws, my siblings, my home, my spiritual and personal growth, my areas of service to the Lord, and my relationships with other people. I write down whatever comes to my mind and then have a time of prayer. I spend time asking God’s forgiveness for where I have been disobedient, unloving, or unfaithful. As 1 John 1:9 tells us, whenever we confess our sins, our good God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
A Challenge for Today:
You might want to take some time each day to mentally examine the priority areas of your life. Evaluate your relationship with God and with your family members, how things are at home, your spiritual growth, the challenges you face as you serve God, the demands of the workplace, and your involvement with people. Look for areas where you have not obeyed God and His Word. Then purpose to give God greater devotion and obedience… to love Him.
For more encouragement for you soul, read Loving God with All Your Mind.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Not long after I accepted a position at the seminary where I received my own training, I attended a conference of professors from around the country. One of the speakers had a Ph.D. in religion and theology. It wasn’t long before it became apparent that, while this person knew a lot about God, he did not have a personal relationship with God through Christ. During a lunch break, I sat with him and initiated a conversation about salvation and the gospel message.
Sometimes the accounts of the faithful in the Bible can feel a bit intimidating. You may wonder if you will ever transform into a man or woman with godly influence. Maybe you feel that way when you read about the woman in Proverbs 31, or when you read about the life of Paul. Paul was Jesus’ “chosen vessel” to spread the Savior’s name “before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).