The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“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.”

—Romans 8:28

This is one of the most comforting verses in Scripture.

It doesn’t say that all things are good; it says that in the lives of believers, God can and will work all things to good purpose even if the things in and of themselves are bad.

Just like he worked Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment to the good of all who would’ve starved from the Egyptian famine.

Just like he used Esther—an orphaned girl who had no choice in becoming one of the king’s many wives—to save all of Israel.

Just like Jesus’s own crucifixion was for the ultimate and eternal salvation of all mankind.

We live in a world broken by our sin. The badness is here, and it will continue until eternity begins and this world passes away.

The beauty of redemption is that God can enter the badness and transform it. We brought the bad into the world, but in his grace, he allows a way to turn even that to good.

And we don’t have to doubt it; the verse says, “we know.” We also don’t have to wonder if he will do it for this particular thing or not. The verse says, “all things.”

When we’re in the middle of a difficulty, trauma, or tragedy, it doesn’t feel possible that any good can come of it, but the Lord promises it will for those who follow him.

Joseph and Esther couldn’t see the end of their stories either, but they were faithful in the middle. 

Let’s hold on to the Lord and his promises even when we can’t see the end.

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