Taking Hold of the Good in God’s Purpose

It's testing.

And that's where we need to start.

If we know that what's going on in the pain that you have, 'cause whatever the pain is, I want you to think about it.

It's the kind of pain that you've encountered, and you've probably said, like the Apostle Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12, "God, I want this to go away," but it's not going away.

God hasn't relieved you of the pain.

It's whatever struggle it is that you think about almost every day, "God, I wish this weren't here." And God says, "No, it's not going away." And you say, "God, I hate this.

I don't want this." And there it is.

It's your trial.

It's your current trial right now.

And I just want you to know that this is the way you should look at it.

Number one, put it down.

See your pain as a test.

That's what this text is telling you to do.

God is telling you, "See the current trial that you're in that hurts.

The hurt is a test." If there's a test in your life, this text is going to remind you there is a test giver.

There's an instructor.

And the instructor, as we said last week, is sovereign.

He's providential.

It's not a mistake.

It's not happenstance.

It's God giving you this test.

If you're a Christian, you just need to know there's a very specific and loving- reason that God is giving you this test.

Now, I know it's quoted to you perhaps at all the wrong times, maybe with the wrong tone, maybe flippantly, but Romans 8:28 is something that you need to believe no matter who quotes it to you and whether it is kind of haphazardly given to you.

It's a true statement, that for those who love God, all things work together for good, to those who are called according to his purpose.

Everything in your life that comes, even the hard things, the bad things, the difficult things, the painful things, the thorn in your flesh, whatever it is, if you are called according to God's purpose, it's gonna work together for good.