Romans 8:28 (NIV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Wouldn’t it be nice if that verse said: “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good here on earth, right now, straight after you start trusting in him, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

I want good safety, I want good money, I want good peace. Or in other terms: I want comfort, I want comfort, I want comfort. But Romans 8:28 doesn’t say I get good things on earth, and that’s proof God is much smarter than I am.

In my pursuit of comfort, I’m only thinking about the here and now, the immediate future.

God doesn’t promise physical comfort because he knows that which is physical is fleeting. This damaged physical world is going to fade away either at the end of our life or when Christ returns.

But knowing that we will be with God for eternity is knowledge that brings comfort that lasts forever! Why would God invest in good things for us physically that are just going to evaporate one day?

He doesn’t owe us anything. He doesn’t have to let us live. He’s not obliged to let us breathe every couple of seconds.

He is an all-powerful, genius God who allows us to live, breathe, enjoy his creation, worship him, eat, love one another and have the knowledge that we will one day be with him forever in paradise.

This world’s no good, and that’s good because it gives us hope for the better life with God.

As Paul wrote it:

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.