08/18/2026
It’s All Good — “For We Know That All Things”
Scripture:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (KJV)
Introduction
There are moments in life when we look at our circumstances and say, “How can this possibly be good?”
The closed door doesn’t look good.
The disappointment doesn’t feel good.
The delay doesn’t seem good.
The unanswered prayer doesn’t look good.
Yet Romans 8:28 does not say that all things are good. It says that God works all things together for good.
That means God can take the pieces of our lives—even the broken pieces—and bring them together according to His purpose.
It may not be good yet, but God is still working.
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1. God Can Work With Every Situation
Paul says, “all things.”
Not just the victories.
Not just the blessings.
Not just the answered prayers.
All things.
God can use the season of abundance, but He can also use the season of lack. He can use the open door, but He can also use the closed door.
Illustration: The Puzzle
Imagine looking at one puzzle piece by itself. It may have strange colors and shapes. You might wonder where it belongs.
But the person who sees the whole picture knows exactly where that piece fits.
Your life may look like scattered puzzle pieces right now, but God sees the finished picture.
What looks random to us is not random to God.
Takeaway
Don’t judge God’s plan by one chapter of your life.
A difficult chapter does not mean God has written a bad story.
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2. God Doesn’t Waste Our Pain
Joseph is one of the greatest examples of this truth.
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned.
If Joseph had judged his story from the middle, he might have concluded that everything had gone wrong.
But eventually Joseph became second in command in Egypt and was positioned to save many lives during a famine.
Joseph later told his brothers:
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” — Genesis 50:20
What people intended for harm, God used for a greater purpose.
Illustration: A Tapestry
When you look at the back of a tapestry, you see tangled threads crossing in every direction. It can look messy and confusing.
But turn it over, and you see the beautiful picture.
We often see the backside of what God is making.
God sees the finished work.
Takeaway
Your pain is not necessarily proof that God has abandoned you.
Sometimes God is using the very thing you wish He would remove to develop something in you that you could not receive any other way.
God can give purpose to your pain.
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3. “Good” Doesn’t Always Mean “Easy”
Romans 8:28 does not promise that everything will be comfortable.
Sometimes what God is working together for our good is not what we would have chosen.
We might define “good” as:
• No problems
• No disappointment
• No waiting
• No suffering
• Everything going according to our plans
But God’s definition of good is often deeper.
He wants to make us more like Christ, strengthen our faith, develop our character, and accomplish His purpose through our lives.
Illustration: The Sculptor
A sculptor looks at a block of stone and sees something that isn’t visible to everyone else.
Then comes the hammer.
Chip.
Chip.
Chip.
From the stone’s perspective, the process might seem destructive.
But the sculptor knows exactly what he is doing.
The pressure isn’t destroying the masterpiece; it is revealing it.
Takeaway
Don’t mistake God’s process for God’s punishment.
What feels like pressure may be preparation.
What feels like pruning may be producing fruit.
What feels like delay may be divine development.
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4. We Can Trust God Even When We Don’t Understand
Notice that Paul says:
“We know…”
He doesn’t say, “We understand all things.”
There is a difference between knowing God is working and knowing exactly what God is doing.
Faith says:
“I don’t understand this, but I trust the One who does.”
Abraham didn’t know where God was leading him, but he went.
Peter didn’t understand everything Jesus was doing, but he followed.
Job lost almost everything, yet he continued to trust God.
Takeaway
You don’t need an explanation for everything in order to have peace.
Sometimes faith is simply saying:
“Lord, I don’t know what You are doing, but I know You are good.”
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5. God Is Working Toward a Purpose
Romans 8:28 ends with:
“…to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God isn’t merely trying to make our lives easier.
He is working according to His purpose.
There may be things you prayed for that God didn’t give you because He knew they didn’t fit His purpose for your life.
There may be doors that closed because God was protecting you.
There may be delays because God was preparing you.
There may be detours because God was redirecting you.
Illustration: GPS
When a GPS says “recalculating,” it doesn’t mean the destination has disappeared.
It simply means the route has changed.
Sometimes life doesn’t go according to our original route.
But God still knows the destination.
A changed route does not mean a cancelled purpose.
Takeaway
When life doesn’t go according to your plan, don’t assume God has lost control.
He may simply be taking you by another route.
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Five Things to Remember
1. God is working.
Even when you cannot see Him, He is not inactive.
2. God sees the whole picture.
You see today; God sees yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
3. God can redeem painful experiences.
Your past does not have to be wasted.
4. God’s “good” is greater than our comfort.
He is developing something eternal, not merely making life convenient.
5. God’s purpose has not changed.
A delay, disappointment, or detour does not cancel God’s plan.
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A Word for Someone Who Is Struggling
Maybe you’re in a season where nothing seems to make sense.
You’ve prayed, but the answer hasn’t come.
You’ve worked hard, but the door hasn’t opened.
You’ve trusted God, but you’re still waiting.
Remember:
The story isn’t over.
Don’t make a permanent conclusion from a temporary situation.
The God who worked through Joseph’s pit, David’s wilderness, Moses’ desert, Esther’s crisis, and the disciples’ storm is still able to work through your situation.
You may not be able to say, “I understand it.”
But by faith, you can say:
“I know God is working.”
And sometimes that’s enough to get you through today.
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Declaration
It’s all good—not because everything that happens is good, but because God is good and He can work all things together for His purpose.
I will not allow today’s circumstances to determine my view of God’s character.
I will trust Him in the waiting.
I will trust Him in the disappointment.
I will trust Him when doors close.
I will trust Him when I don’t understand.
God is still working, and my story is still in His hands.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are working all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.
Lord, there are things in our lives that we don’t understand. There are disappointments that still hurt, prayers that seem unanswered, and situations that don’t look anything like what we expected.
Help us not to judge Your goodness by our circumstances.
When we cannot see what You are doing, help us trust Your heart.
When we are waiting, give us patience.
When we are hurting, give us strength.
When doors close, help us believe that You are still directing our steps.
When life feels like a collection of broken pieces, remind us that You see the finished picture.
Teach us to believe that nothing is wasted in Your hands. Take our mistakes, our disappointments, our struggles, and even our pain, and use them for Your glory and our growth.
Give us the faith to say, “I don’t understand everything, but I know You are good. I know You are working. And I know You have a purpose.”
We surrender our plans to You.
We surrender our fears to You.
We surrender our future to You.
And we choose to trust You today.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
