This famous quote from the Bible (Romans 8:28) is known by many people … but sometimes it’s very hard to see how “all things,” to include the bad, and really bad, things really end up with good. My study and experience has taught that the key to understanding this lies in the words, “work together,” that is, in ways often mysterious to us, all things do work together for good, even the bad things, “to those who love God …” as the rest of the passage reads.

Many years ago, long before I became a military chaplain, I was interviewed for nearly a whole weekend for a new pastoral position in a different church from the one I was serving. It has many more people attending and involved, was well established in the college town where it was located (a big plus for me), and in a part of the state where I desired to live. I really wanted to go there! After an agonizing period of weeks where the church could not make up it’s mind to call me or another pastor, they decided to say “No” to both of us and start over. I was emotionally deflated. Very low. It seemed like I had tried so hard, all for nothing. Yet, within a year I got interested (I would say a “call”) to chaplain ministry … and that has changed my life, and my family’s life, for the better. I doubt that would have happened had I gone to that other church. And, by retrospect, I don’t think I was actually ready to go there at the time. Yes, all things worked together for good, even the pain of rejection.

What are your stories of “all things” working together for good?

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