“We know God works for the good in all things, for those who love him—those called according to his purpose… to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Rom. 8:28-29
Heavenly Father, I don’t know of one verse in your entire Word that’s more loved, misapplied, and disused than Romans 8:28. I choose those three categories because I have “personal experience” of each.
As a young believer, I thought (hoped, fantasized, crossed-my-fingers) that Rom. 8:28 taught if I love you enough, a steady stream of “goodness” would flow into my life. “Good” as in minimal pain, maximum delight, and magnificent outcomes. But Rom. 8:28 promises something much better than personal peace and affluence.
It declares you are at work in everything to make us like Jesus. Christlikeness, not “life-in-a-5-star-spa,” is the promised outcome. When we’re honest, becoming like Jesus isn’t usually the first thing we pray for each day or “claim” in Rom. 8:28. We’d prefer you to be a masseuse, valet, or 3-wish-giver—not a Potter at work to make us more and more like Jesus. So we can misuse this verse on ourselves.
We can, indeed, also misuse Rom. 8:28 on others. We do that when we use it to “silence their whining,” or when we don’t want to enter their pain, or when we apply it like a shot of Novocain or a dose of laughing gas. But deadening pain isn’t dealing with pain.
So, Abba, how do we also disuse—that is, ignore Rom. 8:28? Personally, I do so when, like Esau, I demand instant gratification over your timing and your ways (Gen.25:34). Or when, like Adam, when I blame others (Gen.3:10-12); or like Jonah, when I sulk in a corner (Jon.4:6-11); or like Noah, when I medicate poorly (Gen.9:20-21). You are so present, patient, and kind with me, Abba.
But blessed, loving, holy, and gracious Father, I do love Rom. 8:28, because you really do love me. I really do want to become more like Jesus. I do trust you. So Very Amen.