This week I wanted to dissect one of my go-to verses. So pull up for our Romans 8:28 explanation.
Romans 8:28 says, “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”.
The first thing that struck me about this verse was simply the first three words: “and we know.” What this says to me is that “we” have no doubt about this. This is a statement of fact that “we” can rely on. We can trust in it, as a promise from God. And we are the “we”. You and me. Paul refers to us as “the saints”.
So What Do We Know?
Paul says, “we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God”. I don’t know about you, but when I found this passage, I found it extremely comforting. And we could stop there, be filled with the Spirit, and move on. But we can draw more meaning from the context of this verse within the rest of the chapter. For a more complete Romans 8:28 explanation, we must press on.
Let’s Dig In
In this verse, Paul demonstrates God’s ability, not just to make all of our wildest dreams come true, but to fill in the gaps, interceding for us in prayer and using everything in our lives and even outside of our lives–not to fulfill our fantasies, but to conform us to the image of His Son.
Just two verses prior, Paul says, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should,” which pinpoints two important principles. The first is that we’re praying wrong. Maybe not always, but definitely at least some of the time. In fact, Jesus’ disciples once asked Him to teach them how to pray. Luke says, “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’” (11:1).
We Don’t Know How to Pray?
Jesus goes on to say in John 14:16 that He will “give [us] another Helper, that He may be with [us] forever.” That is, “the Holy Spirit,” who “will teach [us] all things” (John 14:26). This is the same Spirit which Paul says intercedes for us in prayer “with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
But why? Why don’t we know how to pray? Why do we need intercession from the Holy Spirit? Perhaps James provides some insight. James says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (4:3). I believe this is one reason that Paul says that “we do not know how to pray as we should” (Romans 8:26). He goes on to say that the Spirit “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27).
This means that it isn’t merely how we’re praying, as though there’s some magical formula to follow. It isn’t like if we don’t follow that formula, God just doesn’t listen, or answer. James says that our motives are wrong. And Paul alludes to this by making clear that the Spirit’s intention is conforming our prayers to God’s Will. Because we don’t know what God’s will is. Again, I don’t know about you, but I can speak for myself. If God answered my prayers that were according to my own will, the world would crumble in a matter of days because my only concern is for my own will.
Not My Will, But Yours Be Done
That’s why the Spirit intercedes for us, to pray according to God’s Will. It’s also why “God uses all things to work together for good…to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Because it’s all according to His plan. We may hope we know what our part is, and we may be right. But we have no way of knowing how our own part intertwines with someone else’s. We have no way of knowing the extent to which God will use us to accomplish His purpose.
Paul contends that “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). But to “freely give us all things” isn’t God’s purpose. Romans 8:29 says, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son”.
It’s Not About Us
God’s plan for us may include our overall happiness, and it will certainly bring great joy for us all. But our happiness is not God’s primary plan. God’s plan for us is that we “become conformed to the image of His Son.” So He “causes all things to work together for good…to those who are called according to His purpose”. He does this so that we can be His ambassadors, each playing our own part to achieve His Will (Romans 8:28).
*All references are from NASB, unless otherwise stated; any references in italics indicate added emphasis.
If you’re new, make sure to see our previous studies on Matthew 6:33 and Matthew 6:34
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. You can also join the conversation here by joining our Christian Women’s Community Forum and our Social Media Page!
Emily is a Christian mother and blogger who lives in sunny Florida with her three children. She works full-time setting appointments at a home remodeling company and in her scarce free time she enjoys serving her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ however possible, and spending as much time in prayer, Bible reading and studying, and fellowship as possible. As a recovering addict, she has a heart for addiction ministry, and for creating things so she can give back to those who have need.