All Things Work Together for Good ...

What does "All Things Work For Good" mean?

This popular Christian phrase comes from the Bible passage Romans 8:28 that states, "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."  It is a reassuring message for when we confront difficult and tragic moments in our life.  Ultimately, even horrible situations can be transposed into positive impacts on our lives if we integrate valuable lessons from them.  Unfortunate events may unexpectedly strengthen the relationships in your life, causing you to realize what truly matters when encountering adversity.  Though we may not wish for the unforeseen difficulties of life, we can make them "work for good" as God does. 

A National Example

In a Sept. 24 speech in Maryland, President Bush said, "A lot of good has come out of this situation ..." Does this shock you? He was, of course, referring to the Sept. 11, attacks, the last thing anyone would say was "a good thing." Yet, we can see good. Among other things, the president pointed to parents who have been reassessing their values as one way the attacks led to something positive.

The terrorist attacks have affected all of us in different ways. Some of us lost loved ones on crashed planes or imploding skyscrapers. Others lost innocence in the sense that our nation was once thought to be safe from such calamity and hatred. And these tragedies have hit close to home for me as well.

With all this talk of what America has lost, it's now time to start talking about what we have gained in these attacks. God promises us that all things work together for good for those who call upon His name. What good have we seen come out of this calamitous situation?

We've seen soldiers, seamen and airmen march off to war, as they do during times of crisis, without complaint.

We've seen postal workers, despite the threat of contracting anthrax or some other terrorist-spread pathogen, go to work every day like the rest of us.

We've seen firefighters and police officers rush into crumbling buildings without regard for their own lives to help others escape. These brave men and women died by the hundreds, laying down their own lives for people they didn't even know.

We've seen rescue workers with little food or rest for days on end sifting through the treacherous rubble for survivors they knew they would probably never find. But on the slightest chance that they might see a miracle, they went on.

We've seen men stand up to armed hijackers in order to take back a stolen airplane. They must have known they would probably not succeed. But rather than take the chance that others might die on the plane or on the ground, they charged forward to do what they could to stop it.

We've seen school children, too young to give blood or help in the rescue efforts, organize car washes and sell lemonade to raise money for attack victims.

We've seen a world of well-wishers mourning our loss by honoring our national songs and leaving candles and flowers at our embassies around the world.

We've seen a news media that is ever antagonistic to religion go to our nation's priests and pastors for answers to this calamity and comfort for our nation's soul.

We've seen a president who is unafraid to say to his government, his people, and the whole post-modern world that there is ultimately such a thing as good and evil, and we know what side God is on.

We've seen a nation that refuses to be terrorized by the most devastating and dastardly terrorist attack in the history of mankind.

Yes, we mourn our losses, we lick our wounds, and we grieve the tragedy. As greater men than I have said, "It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this." Yet, we must not forget, God promises to work everything together for ultimate good where his people are concerned. As Joseph in the Old Testament was able to say to the brothers who sold him into slavery, "you meant evil against me, [but] God meant it for good ..."

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

"Pray Without Ceasing" 
"Feafully and Wonderfully Made"
"Faith Without Works is Dead"
"Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart"
"All Things Work Together for Good"
"Be Strong and Courageous" 
"Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go"
"Love Your Neighbor as Yourself"
"Tke Every Thought Captive"
"Do Not Fear"
"God is Love"
"Eye for an Eye"
"Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
"I Can Do All Things Through Christ"
"The Lord is my Shepherd"