We’ve Already Won: The Lasting Hope of Romans 8:28

Without Romans 8:28, where is my hope?

You’ve battled through dark and painful seasons. You’ve been face-to-face with betrayal, heartbreak, and tragedy. You’ve held back tears and walked with the grief of a friend.

Sometimes it feels as though pain is nothing more than a random cosmic event, the result of living in a broken world, and that you just have to persevere—but persevering is difficult . . . especially when you don’t know what the outcome will be.

That’s where Romans 8:28 comes in—and it’s the reason we can persevere through seasons of hurt, knowing there’s a brighter day ahead.

Do you believe an illness, an accident, and a hurtful comment can be used for good?

Do you believe your suffering can become a symphony?

God says they can.

God says He does use all things for our good.

That’s the hope—the promise—of Romans 8:28.

The Promise of Romans 8:28

Problems don’t last forever.

Yes, it hurts now. You can’t imagine what life will be like once this is over.

 But Revelation 21:4–5 promises that God will wipe away every tear and demolish death and pain.

And while problems don’t last forever, God’s promises are eternal.

A promise is a commitment. God can’t—and won’t—break His promises (Numbers 23:19).

Romans 8:28 proves that God’s promises are all-encompassing—with no ifs, buts, ands, or exceptions. None. He knew your story from beginning to end before recording that promise in His word.

He doesn’t make all things good for three months but for all eternity.

He doesn’t make all things good unless you mess up really bad but despite any shortcomings.

He doesn’t make all things good if we perform well but even if we fail.

God’s promises are not flimsy declarations—they’re guarantees from a God who knows our thoughts, motivations, aspirations, and future. They’re based on a truth we can stake our lives on.

“All” Really Does Mean All

No exceptions.

No “ish.”

No “everything, but not . . .”

All means all.

Every regret.

Every failure.

Every heartache.

Every long night.

Every careless word.

Are you starting to see?

Every illness.

Every mistake.

Every betrayal.

Every accident.

Every argument.

Everything. Without exception.

The joy and the regret. The pain and the healing. The broken and the beautiful.

All means all. Everything on this list and everything not on this list, God uses for the good of those who love Him.

May Your Trial Become a Testimony

We still battle with the question why.

Why me?

Why this?

Why now?

Pain isn’t pleasant. In a perfect world, there is no pain—so why does God allow it for now?

If God loves us, why doesn’t He shield us from the suffering?

He could. He’s God, after all. And He says He loves us. He says He’s working all things for our good.

So why doesn’t this feel good?

I don’t have a perfect answer. But I do know that God is good, and He sees what we don’t. He works things out in ways we don’t understand . . . yet.

And if He cares about the sparrow, He definitely cares about you (Matthew 10:29–31).

No doubt about it, suffering hurts—but it’s how God molds us in this life to become more and more like Him. And isn’t that an incredible gift?

I wouldn’t choose the suffering, but I’m better because of it.

God is writing a symphony with your life, full of the ups and the downs, the beauty and the chaos. He’s shaping you to be more like Him every day.

Recently, I read It’s Not Supposed to be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered by Lysa TerKeurst. In it, Lysa wrote: “Why did this happen? Because there’s someone else in the world who would drown in their own tears if not for seeing yours. And when you make one other human simply see they aren’t alone, you make the world a better place.”

One day, your trial may become a testimony. Isn’t that an incredible blessing?

More than Conquerors

Paul penned Romans from a prison cell and still believed “. . . we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

What did he know? Why was he so sure?

Maybe it was because he had watched his own trials become testimonies that shared the Good News.

Or maybe it was the same promise God had weaved into the lives of Joseph, Esther, Daniel, and Job. Their stories seemed bleak and hopeless in the moment, but God worked it all out for their good.

He does it because He loves us.

And this promise gives us hope. It’s the assurance that because of Christ, no matter what we face on this side of Heaven, we’re already the victors.

No matter what you do.

No matter what is done to you.

No matter what you expect to face soon.

He already won (Revelation 20:10).

Note: This post was largely inspired by and includes takeaways from Robert J. Morgan’s book God Works All Things Together for Your Good: Living in the Promise of Romans 8:28, a resource I read and would recommend.