Romans 8:28 AMP
And we know [with great confidence] that God causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
Romans 8:28 TPT
So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.
I would imagine that other than John 3:16, this verse has been quoted more than any other verse in the Bible. There have been so many sermons and teachings about Romans 8:28, and there have been so many theological discussions about what this remarkable verse means. Put simply; I believe that this is one of the most childlike verses in all of Scripture. Of course, Childlikeness is very important to life in the kingdom, for in Matthew 18:3 – 4 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like a little child, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
In light of that I want us to see Romans 8:28 through the eyes of a little child. In childlike simplicity Romans 8:28 boldly tells us that we can believe in “happy endings.” As we grow older in this fallen world, it is easy to become cynical because of all the things that happen to us and around us that are confusing and painful. When you are born again, your new self has restored innocence, and once again, you are free to dream and to believe in happy endings. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that you understand everything that goes on around you, or you are free from pain and loss, but it does mean that you can know that “all the things” happening to you and around, no matter how strange or painful are being continually woven together to fit God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives and are being used to propel us toward the fulfillment of God’s eternal purposes. It is true that sometimes I don’t know what’s going on, but what is even more true is that God does, and his happy endings are guaranteed. It’s so nice to believe in happy endings again, no matter what the world shouts.