Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good… and as for that “good” what we really need to think is “God.” Because ALL things work together for our gaining more God in our being. Whenever I used to hear this verse, I always thought to myself,
Yes, even in this situation, under these circumstances, in the midst of this environment and amongst these people, God has sovereignly arranged all the details so that if you don’t murmur and complain, if you don’t wriggle yourself loose from where God has placed you then, in one hour, or one day, or one week, or one year, or one decade, or one lifetime after you have gone through whatever it is you are going through there will be more God in you, you will be conformed to the image of God’s firstborn Son.
And to a certain extent this is true. But in doing / saying this I actually had divorced that verse from the context of the chapter in which it is found. Yesterday, a companion of mine reminded me of this, and this morning the Lord’s word reverberated through my being: … The law of the Spirit of life has freed me…(Rom. 8:2)
It is only when we experience the Spirit of life in our situations, circumstances, and environments that these very things become the means through which we gain God. Otherwise, what are we? God-men? Not in practicality – yet we can be merely meek, humble, good individuals or even worse ascetics for whom these situations are merely the opportunity to make a show of our good human nature.
So, how do we enjoy and experience the Spirit of life? Well, for me the key is found in verse 28: “To those who love God….” When we look to God Himself, instead of looking at our self (we are after all simply wretched men!) or the things around us, and when we love God, we won’t have to grin and bear our troubles, instead the the law of the Spirit of life is activated and this law automatically overcomes everything.
Lord, keep us in our first and best love toward You. Keep us enjoying and experiencing the law of the Spirit of life! [guest post]
