“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”      – Romans 8:28

Many Bible readers struggle with this passage. It makes perfect sense until you are paralyzed in an automobile accident or fired from your job. You may reasonably ask, “God, how is this your purpose? Do you not know I love you? Have I not been called according to your purpose?”

My friend Arthur Pigman points out, using the King James Version, that the passage doesn’t say “all things are good.” Rather, it says, “all things work together for good.” There’s a difference.

Mr. Pigman’s wife, Charlotte, makes a mean chocolate cake. Her recipe includes baking powder, butter, and flour. Those ingredients by themselves aren’t very appetizing. In fact, swallow a handful of flour and you’ll probably gag.

However, when you combine the ingredients, when you allow them to “work together,” along with chocolate, eggs, and milk, something good happens… chocolate cake!

Our lives are made up of a series of events, scenes, and moments—some pleasant, others painful, still others devastating. While a life full of only happy moments sounds appealing, it’s unrealistic in a fallen world. God allows the bad, knowing that trials produce perseverance, maturity, and completeness.

James 1:2-4 puts it this way: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

The bad times teach us to appreciate the good. The seasons of sickness cause us to be thankful for the seasons of health. The lean times teach us to rely upon God.

When my wife and I lost our RV and most of our possessions in a fire, we were devastated. By any definition, it wasn’t a “good” event in our lives. It was a mouthful of flour. Looking back now, however, we realize how that event–terrible at the time–brought about many blessings. God didn’t “want” it for us but he certainly used the experience to bring about his purpose in our lives. The RV fire caused us to settle down and take our ministry in a different direction. Yes, the painful, unpleasant ingredient, combined with other events, led us to a new and better place. 

When we lost our first child due to a miscarriage while living 1000 miles away from our nearest relatives, we balled our eyes out and reasonably wondered how this could be part of God’s plan. Two incredible sons and 3.25 amazing grandkids later, we see how God’s beautiful plan unfolded. The miscarriage, while devastating, caused us to grow closer and rely on God and each other like never before. As with the RV fire, the event shaped our chapter in God’s ongoing story.

Friends, whatever you are up against today, stay strong. Don’t give up. Let your story play out. If you love God and are called according to his purpose, your story ends well. Things will ultimately work together for good.

How good? Good like chocolate cake.