And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. . . .
You do not have because you do not ask God.

Romans 8:28, James 4:2-3

God causes all things to work together for our good. But this does not necessarily mean what we experience in this life is the very best God intended for us, for the simple reason our choices have consequences.

For example, we know from God’s Word that we do not have because we do not ask. What God intends for us is all that we might have, but us choosing not to ask will result in us having far less than he intended. Likewise, God intends for us to bear much fruit and have the fullness of joy by remaining in Jesus by obeying his commands. But if we choose not to remain in Jesus by obeying his commands, we will experience little or no fruit and even less joy. God also intends to experience his peace the transcends all understanding by not being anxious for anything and presenting our request to him instead. But if we choose to present our requests to him and be anxious instead, his peace will not guard our hearts and minds. Our choices have the ability to thwart God’s perfect will for our lives.

In what sense, then, does God cause all things to work together for our good? The answer is that God causes all things in our lives to maximize our opportunity to choose the very best he has for us. He is actively orchestrating every circumstance in life to bring us to the point of choosing the good. In this sense, God is causing all things to work together for our good.

The fact God’s very best is not guaranteed and requires our participation may be sobering, but it is also comforting. For we can know even in our poor choices, he is actively working for our good, seeking to turn our lives around to align with his objectives and design as he conforms us to the image of his own Son. Whatever our situation, he is always for us, wasting nothing.

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Photo by Jason Olliff on Unsplash