The Story of God: All Will Be Well
Reflections
A good man may look down upon all the whole army of worldly afflictions under his feet and you may consider with joy, however great they are and however numerous, let them all join their forces together against him and put on their most rueful and dreadful habits, forms and appearances, and spend all their strength, vigor and violence with endeavors to do him any real hurt or mischief, and it is all in vain. He may triumph over them all knowing this: light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall only work out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, and, that although sorrow continue for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning: remembering God’s promise that all things shall surely work together for his good.
— Jonathan Edwards in Christian Happiness
- Context of this passage, Paul’s suffering (v35)
- Promise
- Bad things do happen, but God takes the bad and work it out for the good
- Why can we trust God’s promise? v31-32
- Definition of Good – more than just circumstances
- v29: We become more like Jesus when we suffer
- God doesn’t waste pain, it is for further transformation
- Jesus suffer is not so that we don’t suffer
- But when we suffer, we become more like Christ
- Our calling, to be generous, to invite others to church for the good news
- Guarantee
- v31-39: I am loved, therefore I am
