When I was a teenager (that would have been back in the ’60s in case you are counting 🙂 ), one of the big questions floating around-in my mind and in others-was “Why am I here?” Put another way: what is my purpose in life? In all honesty, I’m not sure that question ever goes out of style.
One of the “go to” Scripture verses for many is Roman 8:28- “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (ESV)
You can see why it is a favorite. It is reassuring to know God has His hand in all that happens. What happens may not be good-death, cancer, drastic injury, etc-but the result can bring good. God can make all things new and good.
But much to our detriment, we stop at verse 28 and fail to see verse 29. Please take a look at that verse. Getting past the big words of “foreknew” and “predestined” we find the deeper purpose: “to be conformed to the image of His Son.” It is good to believe that “all things work together” and we often stop at that, BUT we really need to see that those things which are happening are designed to conform us to Christ.
Day in and day out. Easy in and easy out. Tough in and tough out. GOD HAS A PURPOSE. Yes, it is to show His power. Yes, it is to show His strength. Yes, it is to show His will. But even more, it is to shape me and you to conform to the image of His Son.
It is just that some of us are harder to mold (Hand shoots up in the air). But He won’t stop until I am.Â