Lessons from Romans 8:28

I have been hearing a lot about Romans 8:28 lately: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. I think sometimes we get too caught up in the bad part of what can happen in our lives, instead of lifting our hearts up to God to thank Him for what we have.

There are many stories about this verse, but I was looking within myself, just because I wanted this verse to be a reality in my life, and sure enough! There are so many “Romans 8:28” moments in my life I wouldn’t be able to type them all here.

Looking back, one of the first moments in my life that I experienced this (and I didn’t know it) was when I was 18 yrs-old. A friend from childhood, who was the same age as me, just turned 18 and his dad had given him a car. As he was driving back home with a couple friends from school, from their “weekend farm”, to the city where they lived, his brakes didn’t work and his car ended up underneath the back of the truck in front of him. He died instantly and the other 2 young guys were taken to the Hospital and survived the crash. My friend was the only one that died in that car accident, 18 yrs ago, and I thought it was unfair that this guy, with a bright future ahead of him, was taken away from us just in a split second.

When I went to his funeral, I couldn’t even talk; but when I saw his mom, she had this calm around her and I didn’t know why. I wasn’t a Mom then, but I couldn’t imagine how losing a son wasn’t something to destroy the world around you. In the midst of all the chaos, someone was talking to my friend’s mom and she told that person that before that accident, her son had just told her that he was so happy because he was back in the church and enjoying again God’s blessings.

That group of kids were all born as Seventh Day Adventist and we were raised going to the Academy as well, but apparently he was trying “other paths”, just away from the church. She prayed, after their conversation and told God to please keep him in His path, and do anything to, pretty much, make him stay in the church. So, she knew, this was the time when her son was following God with all his heart, and that she knew God was taking care of him. She knew Romans 8:28!!!!!

Now, as an adult, going thru a lot of things, I got to a point where I asked God: “Why am I going through all of this?” I know I made wrong choices, but I didn’t think I deserved certain things… oh well, see, all of that gave me so much hope, all the bad things I went through helped built my character and my passion and love for God even more! If things had not happened the way they did, I don’t think I would’ve looked to come back to my church, and enjoy it as much as I do now… All of that besides having two beautiful children that are my pride and joy (but of course, you know that).

At the end, it comes to my mind what my co-worker just told me about 1 hr ago: “A life without God, is like an unsharpened pencil: there is no point to it”

By Carla Gutierrez