For Your Own Good

• What gives you hope?

• Have you ever experienced an unpleasant situation that eventually led to a positive outcome? Explain.

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

God is in control. He is in control of the planets as they circle the sun, and he is in control of the small details in our lives. This doesn’t mean that he will always interfere on a supernatural level. But it does mean that he is always paying attention, that he always cares about what’s happening in our lives, and that he is always working on us and for us.

Paul writes in this verse that God is always working for the good of those who love him. That’s us. God uses whatever happens in the lives of believers for their own good. Through the circumstances in our lives, he teaches us, shapes us, and helps us.

This is a great verse to remember when we have a bad day. Even when circumstances are hard, we who love God can rest in the knowledge that he is taking care of us and that he wants what is good for us. This should always give us hope.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for using the things in our lives to help us. Thank you for giving your children a reason to have hope. Please help us to remember this hope every day. Amen.