The following is a sermon I delivered on Sunday, December 27 at Graymere Church of Christ. Feel free to use this in its entirety - and you can also download the Powerpoint or Keynote.

[1 John 5.4]

We love winners, don't we?

There may be no greater mystery in professional sports than the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990s. You'll recall that the Bills were able to advance to the Super Bowl in each of the seasons from 1990-94. Notice that I didn't say that they won the Super Bowl. 

In the recent documentary by ESPN entitled The Four Falls of Buffalo, it was remarked that "there is no greater joy in sports than winning the Super Bowl, and no greater pain in losing one." The Bills were a team that just couldn't finish, and in dramatic fashion. While hindsight is 20/20 and looking back it was certainly a great accomplishment to even play in four consecutive Super Bowls (4 of the 32 teams in the NFL have never even had the honor),the inability to just finish the season the way you started has haunted this proud football franchise for decades. 

Because it's not how you start, it's how you finish. 

What matters is what happens in the end. 

We're finishing up an entire season that most of the world dedicates to the birth of Jesus Christ. And while that is a significant event, it is no nearly as significant as how Jesus died and was resurrected. 

Jesus had what was the greatest comeback in history. To be put to death on a cruel cross and be raised by God from the dead three days later was the most focal point of global history. It not only showed him to be the one true Son of God, but it showed everyone he was who he said he was. 

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. 

Maybe you're finishing this year on a bad note. Maybe you're a little down. Maybe you're battling health problems. Maybe you're in a bit of financial bind. Maybe you're a little lost spiritually. Maybe you haven't been the Christian you wanted to be this year - maybe you didn't attend worship as faithfully as you wanted, you didn't get involved as much as you wanted, or you didn't study as much as you wanted to. 

A new year is a perfect opportunity for a fresh start. It's an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. Nothing really changes except the calendar, but mentally, there's something new and awesome about having a new year to get some things done. To resolve ourselves to change and make things better. 

The Buffalo Bills had not one, not two, not three, but four opportunities to finish strong. They didn't capitalize. But you can. 

Tonight I'm going to give you three reasons why you can win in 2016. 

We can win in 2016 with God because...

I. We Have the Power to Change

There seems to always be a guarantee in life that change will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we do not feel in control of life. The good news is that God has a plan for your life to hope, future, and to prosper. If we trust in God and allow the change to grow us to become more like Jesus Christ in how we respond and act, then we are promised that all things will work together for good for those who love Him and keep His commandments!

As I look back on 2015, lots has changed for my family and I that I never saw coming. This time last year I was looking at planning the Church Street Youth Group for 2015, and I was really excited. I had become a little jaded in youth work and a little burnt out. But through some time off, some study, and talking with some mentors, I was back at work and fired up about 2015. I was working harder than ever and I really thought that was where I was going to be for a number of years to come. 

And then Graymere came knocking. And it was an opportunity that my family and I could not pass up. 

It has been a different kind of challenge working here - one that I didn't expect. But my family and I dealt with the changes that came to us and we responded in a great way. 

Change is inevitable. Sometimes people say "I don't like change" and to me, that's just an excuse not to push yourself, to not test yourself and realize the true servant that God would have you to be. 

But the greatest thing about change is that the power lies within us to make change in our own lives. We can also choose how we respond to changes around us. God has given us an uncanny ability to evaluate what needs to change in our lives and make it happen. 

A New Year is a great time to rededicate your life to serving God. We can have the assurance that God will be faithful to us in times of change, whether that's in our own lives or the lives of those around us. 

The well-known passage in Deuteronomy illustrates this perfectly for us:

31.6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified of them, because the Lord your God goes with you, and he will never forsake you.

Just as we might take a walk with our spouse down a path, I like to imagine that God is with me, right beside me, where ever I go and whatever I do. And it's important to note that God will not change. Ever. We are the ones who must do that. 

The world and the devil have a great way of trying to convince us that God will conform to whatever box we try to fit him in. And that's just not how it is. 

[Malachi 3.6] 

I, the Lord, do not change.

I'm reminded of the well-known story of the battleship that was out at sea. The captain, who was worried about the deteriorating weather conditions, stayed on the bridge to keep an eye on all activities.

One night, the lookout on the bridge suddenly shouted, “Captain! A light, bearing on the starboard bow.”

“Is it stationary or moving astern?” the captain asked.

The lookout replied that it was stationary. This meant the battleship was on a dangerous collision course with the other ship. 

The captain immediately ordered his signalman to signal to the ship: “We are on a collision course. I advise you to change course 20 degrees east.”

Back came a response from the other ship: “You change course 20 degrees west.”

Agitated by the arrogance of the response, the captain asked his signalman to shoot out another message: “I am a captain, you change course 20 degrees east.”

Back came the second response: “I am a second class seaman, you had still better change course 20 degrees west.”

The captain was furious this time. He shouted to the signalman to send back a final message: “I am a battleship! Change course 20 degrees east right now!"

Back came the flashing response: “You change course 20 degrees west. I am a lighthouse.”

The Lord is our lighthouse, and no matter how much fussing or complaining or sin or the devil tricking us into God somehow changing, he won't. It is we who must do the changing. 

We can win in 2016 because...

II. Jesus Has Already Overcome the World

Jesus says himself in John 16.33 to "be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

That's great news. Because we can reason from that one statement that Jesus made that if he has already overcome the world, then there is nothing in this world that should overcome us!

In fact, Jesus says in this same verse that we will have tribulation. We will be tested. We will be tempted - by the world. He says these things so that we can have peace. He has already overcome the world. 

[1 John 5.4-5]

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This passage is all about victory. We sing the song so many times: Victory in Jesus. My savior forever, he sought me, he bought me with his redeeming blood. That's our victory. But what does victory have to do with a maturing love for God?

We as Christians live in a real world with real obstacles. Real temptations. Real pain. Sometimes you may read scripture or come to worship or Bible class and feel like it's not the real world. That the Bible isn't speaking to you - it's speaking to all those people without sin, distress, or pain. 

It isn't easy to obey God. It's much easier to drift in the world, make our own decisions, follow our own plan, and "do our own thing." 

But the Christian is "born of God." We may look at that phrase in scripture and gloss over it, but this is what gives us ultimate victory. This is what can help us win. "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world." 

The Greek word for victory is actually Nike (NÉE-Kay). Not the shoe brand. The word simply means victory, and those two words: overcome and victory are favorites of John, both in his Gospel and his letters. 

Our victory is the result of faith, and we grow in faith as we grow in love. 

There's an old legend of a soldier who was serving in the army of Alexander the Great. The soldier wasn't acting bravely, he wasn't fighting and pressing as he should have. 

The great general approached the young man and said, "What's your name, soldier?"

"My name is Alexander, sir," the man replied. 

The general looked at him straight in the eye and said firmly: "Soldier, get in there and fight - or change your name!"

What is our name? We are called "Children of God, the born-again ones of God." Alexander the Great wanted his name to be a symbol of courage - our name carries with is the assurance of victory. To be born of God means to share in God's victory. And when we're victorious, we have overcome the world. 

We can win in 2016 because...

III. You're Backing the Winning Side Already

We need to understand that God is on our side, and it's the winning side!

When you feel overwhelmed, it's important to go to God in prayer and confess your inability and inadequacy. You need to be honest if you're afraid and tell God exactly how you feel.

In 2 Chronicles 20:12, Jehoshaphat says to God in prayer, “We are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help" (GNT). 

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt like there was a problem in your marriage, your career, or somewhere in your life that you thought was overwhelming? You start at the beginning of the week thinking maybe you can handle it, but by Wednesday you're out of power.

Maybe you've felt like the author of this poem:

"The world had a hopeful beginning
But man spoiled it all by sinning
We trust that the story
Will end in God's glory
But right now the other side's winning."

Have you ever felt like that? You pick up the newspaper, and it looks like the bad guys are winning. There are kids killing other kids in our schools! The moral and spiritual climate of our society is collapsing. It looks like the bad guys are winning in many ways.

So what do you do? You say, “God, we're powerless, and we don't know what to do.” You tell God exactly how you feel. 

It's interesting when you compare verse 12, where it says we're powerless, to verse 6, where Jehoshaphat says, "God, you have all the power in the world." It doesn't matter if you're powerless if God has power. If you put your trust in him, he'll take care of you.

I don't have to have power. You don't, either. And you don't have to pretend that you do. All you have to do is trust in God, who's got all the power that you need.

It's difficult to express our inadequacy, even to God. But when we turn over control to Him, we can trust that he will bring us the ultimate victory. 

Conclusion

The Buffalo Bills couldn’t win the one game at the end of the season that mattered the most. If we trust in God and fight those battles for him - it may even look hopeless and look like we’re going to lose, but we will have victory in the end. 

So this evening, how does your story end? What’s happened in the past doesn’t matter - only moving forward is what God cares about. We can win with God because we have that power to change. We can win with God because Jesus has already overcome the world. And we can win with God because we’ve backed the winning side already. 

When I watched Back to the Future Part II as a 10-year old, I was in awe. Hovercars. Hoverboards. Holographic sharks. Video phones. I've always been facinated by the future, but that movie had me wishing for it to be now.

I thought then, "Man, the future looks bright."

It still does.

Today is the future. Today is the day in that movie where Marty and Doc go to the future to correct an injustice - a mistake - that would cripple Marty's family for years to come.

Can we go back in time and fix mistakes? Certainly not. But we can appeal to the One who is in charge of our future.

If you look at the headlines or talk to people over age 50, you might get a pretty bad impression of the world today. They'll say the world is doomed, that people can't be trusted, and that we're all heading to oblivion on the same boat.

It's a good thing that my faith isn't in this world. It's a good thing that my faith is in God, who is able to do far more than I can possibly imagine. It's a good thing that I know that he's going to take care of my family. It's a good thing that I know He will take care of His Church.

I know, without a doubt, that my future is still bright with God. And yours is too.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3.20-21

I preached this sermon last Sunday night for our 11 grads going off to college. I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me preach it. 

Congratulations, graduates. In just a few short days, you’ll step onto a stage and receive your diploma, and while doing that two big things will be happening for you - 1) You’ll be making a significant accomplishment on 13 years of work and dedication, and 2) you’ll be closing one chapter of your life and opening a whole new one. 

On a personal note, this Class of 2014 is a very special one to me. This is the first group that I saw as Freshmen. I remember walking into class that Sunday morning in January 3 ½ years ago, terrified at how such a large group of freshmen were going to react to my teaching. Since then, we’ve had a lot of great times to share at activities, sporting events, and here in worship. 

Safe to say that I, personally, have some pretty good memories from you all. 

So the main question I have for you tonight is:

What memories will you make from here on out? And what path will they take you on? 

Tonight we’ll be talking about God’s path: how to stay on it, where it might lead you, all those things. 

If we’re moving forward on this path, we can’t dwell on the past. We can’t relive memories from high school. After you walk across that stage in a few weeks and get your diploma, high school is over. High school, and all the tests, grades, drama, and sometimes, the relationships are over. So where does your path go from here?

If you’re not a Christian, there’s a lot of uncertainty with that question. You can’t move forward on God’s path if you’re not first a Christian! If you are, then your path is actually very clear. This evening, very quickly, we’re going to talk about your path that you should walk with God and how to seek out God’s direction. 


1. Steps are ordered. 

You’ve always heard “A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step,” but what does that actually mean? It means that in life there are lots of steps. 

High School is a big step that you’ve just completed. But that’s all it is, is a step in your life. The next step may be college. It may be going out to work. It may be both. But the next step for you, whatever that may be, comes after the last. Like we said before, dwelling on the past doesn’t do you a lot of good when going to your next step. 

Our steps have to be ordered, just like we order our food. One of the best parts about graduation is all the eating out. I must have ate out with parents and grandparents for like 4 days straight when I graduated high school. It was great. But when you go out to eat and your order food, you expect the food that you ordered to be what they bring out. If you ordered something small and they bring out a 7-course meal for you, that’s going to be too much. We usually only order what we can eat, and when we don’t, when we eat too much, our stomachs let us know fairly quickly. 

In the same way, God orders our steps and steps that we are able to take. Psalm 37.23 says The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. 

If our steps are ordered, then we must assume that there is some planning involved as well. Think about it - you don’t ever do anything without a plan. Whether it’s deciding and going to eat Mexican or Chinese after Sunday morning worship this morning or making plans for where to go to college, your steps in life are ordered and your plans don’t just happen, they are put in place and planned carefully. Proverbs 16.9 says, A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Notice the word ‘step’ again. Our God directs our steps.


2. Paths are directed. 

Proverbs 3.5 says Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. The key to unlocking God's direction is by acknowledging Him in all our ways.

Going to college, you probably feel like (or will feel like) you’re on top of the world. You’re finally out of your parents house. You’re at a place where no one is going to badger you with rules. You have a lot more freedom than you might have had at home. And most of us will look at our lives and say “I’ve got this.” 

Like me. Even with the rules and structure of the Marines Corps, I thought to myself, “This is great. I’m finally off on my own. I can do whatever I want. I’ve got this.” 

One of the worst mistakes I ever made in my entire life was not seeking God when I probably needed him the most. After two combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, I was completely depressed and burnt out. I didn’t go to church. I didn’t seek out Godly things. I didn’t seek out God’s people to help me on my path. 

If we are Christians, God directs our paths. Not activities, or degrees, or careers, or others, or boyfriends and girlfriends - GOD DOES. And if we let God direct our feet to walk His path, we will be taken care of. 

Those two years without the church in my life were probably the darkest my life had ever been. Don’t forget about God when you’re off on your own. Don’t forget how He has taken care of you so far. If you trust in him, He will take care of you. Just as the verse Kyle mentioned last Sunday night - Romans 8.28 - For we know that all things work together for good. 

Ah, wait a second, that’s wrong. If we look at the verse carefully, and we see the parts we sometimes glaze over:

And we know that for those that love the Lord all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. 

Speaking from personal experience - it was the times that I did not let God direct my steps and was not active in his church that I had the hardest and darkest times of my life. Let your path be directed by God, and nothing else. 


So as we close this evening, I want to offer you four ways that you can find (and stay on) God’s path. 

1. Follow the instructions. We follow instructions in everything else in life, yet sometimes we put God on the back burner. Know God’s Word. Read it, study it, just as you would civil engineering or nursing. Because there will be a test later, and you need to be prepared. 

2. Seek the narrow path. You are not the first person to struggle with sex, drugs, alcohol, or any of the other various temptations and things that would seek to take you away from God’s path. Stick with those who are struggling the same way you are. Seek out fellow Christians. Seek out churches nearby. No one has promised that the Christian life will be easy, and that’s especially true in your years to come, when you really find out who you are and what you will do with your life. So ask yourself the question that stems from Matthew chapter 7: will your path be wide and easy and lead you away from God, or will it be narrow and difficult and lead you to God? 

3. Don’t seek wide ways or strange Gods. Idols can come in many forms. Maybe your idol is yourself - you’ve finally gotten away from parents and you now choose to do what you maybe couldn’t at home. Or maybe that idol is schoolwork. Or money. Or a boyfriend or girlfriend. Whatever form that idol takes, if it prevents you from following God in any way, it should not be a part of your path in life. 

4. Always plan with God in mind. As I told you earlier, my life did not go as I’d planned. I had hoped to be married by age 23. That didn’t happen for me until age 27. When I joined the military in 2000, it was a totally different world come September 11, 2001. I didn’t plan on that. My life did not turn out as I thought it would, but it turned out exactly as God thought it would. 

Jeremiah 29.11 says I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. I know the plans I have for you, Austin. I know the plans I have for you, Grayson, He says. 

In the scripture that was read earlier, Psalm 16.11, David says You have made know to me the path of life. We know what God’s plans are - it’s in His Word.

I love the phrase that Kyle has said in some past sermons recently, and that is to ask the question, “What is God up to?” 

What is God up to and how is He working in my life when I arrive at UT Knoxville in August? Or at MTSU? Or Cumberland University? What is God up to when He gave me THIS roommate? What is He up to when my Christian morals are challenged in my classes? What is God doing right now in my life?”

We should always plan with God in mind. God should not fit in our plans, He should be the most integral part of the plan. And we should always be asking what God is up to in our lives, because He always is. 


Tonight, this lesson has mainly been for our graduates, but the message applies to us all. Have you been true to God’s path? Do you need to get back on God’s path? Maybe you need to start your journey on God’s path by becoming a Christian and being baptized tonight. If you have any spiritual needs this evening, come while we stand and sing. 

Chad Gibbs, in his book God and Football, describes his dedication and worship of college football. He grew up as a hardcore Alabama fan, only to go to Auburn for school and eventually be converted into an Auburn fan (this is a good way to get you disowned from your family, by the way). 

He describes two instances with two different teams: with Alabama in the late 1990s where they had the chance to go all the way to the Championship and blew it. Then, after a couple of years at Auburn as a student, having been converted to the Tigers, he witnessed another heartbreak in 2004 - an undefeated season and an SEC crown was not enough to go to the National Championship because USC and Oklahoma apparently deserved it more that year. 

Gibbs writes: 

When my team crashed in such incredible fashion years later, I had to step back and ask, 'Why is this so important to me? Why do I spend all my money to go watch something that only makes me angry? Why do I waste so much of the time I've been giving to this game played by college kids I've never met? Couldn't and shouldn't that be spent on eternal things? Why do I worship something that I know will let me down when I could be worshipping a God that I know never will?'

This brings up an interesting question: WILL God ever let us down? And have you ever felt like He has? 

I'll be honest - I have. I look at my life and the direction of things, and I look at my family and friends' lives and I sometimes feel like God has let me down. Like I've asked for something sincerely and with a true heart and God had chosen to ignore me. 

Maybe already in your life you've had something that you've felt like God has let you down. Like God took a vacation with your life and just said, "You can handle this by yourself." 

Maybe it was a close friend or relative dying. My Aunt died of cancer when I was 20 years old, and she was only 54. That doesn't seem fair. 

Maybe it was divorce that split up your family. My mom and dad were separated for months when I was 16. My mom basically kicked my dad out. He wasn't a drunk, or abusive, or anything like that, but they just weren't getting along. I felt like God had let me down during that time. 

Maybe it was a difficult time in your life. There were points when I was in Iraq and Afghanistan and I'd been in bits of combat here and there and I felt so scared and alone that I felt God had really let me down. That sometimes He wasn't even there at all. 

One of the biggest truths I can tell you about my experience over these things: is that God NEVER lets us down. God is ALWAYS faithful to us. God has not only shown us this in his Word, but in our lives. A huge part of having God in our lives is trusting Him to know what's best for us, even when it doesn't make sense. 

What do you do when you feel God has treated you unfairly, left you unprotected, undefended or abandoned?

Know that you aren't alone. 

You know, we aren't alone in this. Sometimes we may feel that questioning God makes us bad Christians, but in truth, it can actually help us strengthen our faith. 

In Zechariah 13.9, God says,

"[I will] refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God."

Have you ever thought about the refining processes of gold and silver? Lots of people don't know this, but gold and silver are found together in most places. In the ancient world, gold had to be separated from silver. Silver was thought to be a by-product for a while, almost regarded as worthless. Gold was where people thought the real value was. Gold and silver are refined and purified by harsh processes in the ancient world involving fire, acid, and salt to separate and refine. This was called 'gold parting.'

It wasn't until 1874 when Emil Wohlwill perfected purification of gold to what is known as the Wohlwill Process, which produces a near-perfect purified gold product with a purity of 99.999%. Most processes up to the this time only got up to 90-95% purity, and ancient processes were lucky to get 75-80%. 

Our Christian lives are a lot like the gold purification process. We don't necessarily know the value of God until our faith has been tested and put through the fire. James 1.2-4 [NLT] tells us this:

"For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."

If you find yourself doubting God and his Will for you, you're in good company. 

In Psalm 13.1 David asks,

"How long Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?"

In Psalm 69:1-3 David confesses:

“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God." 

Ever felt like this? 

David's prayers are bold and brutally honest. Have you ever felt this way, as if your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? As if God has earplugs in and isn't listening to you at all? King David, a "man after God's own heart," even felt this way. So how should we respond when we do feel this way? 

David's two responses in these prayers: Psalm 13:5-6:

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.”

Psalm 69:30:

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”

Look for an occasion to give thanks. 

Sometimes this is hard. Let's be honest - ALL the time, this is hard. 

When my Aunt died my mom blamed God. But my mom was angry, and she didn't respond in the right way. Truthfully, I didn't either in my own way. I blamed God too. Why would He do such a thing? 

It wasn't until years later that I could look back and say that my Aunt passing away strengthened my faith. On her deathbed she told me to never give up on God. She told me to always be thankful. In an indirect and convoluted way, she helped my mother and father strengthen their relationship with one another and with God. 

Our greatest reward is to thank Him in our weakest moment. 

That's what David did. That's what Jesus did. 

Jesus doesn't necessarily thank God, but he does put his whole trust in Him. In Matthew 26.39, facing almost certain death by crucifixion, he says, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." 

David went through trials and thanked God. Jesus faced certain death and put his trust in God. 

Realize that you don't have all the answers - God does. 

We live in a world where people need to learn to "pick themselves up by their own boot straps," which means, succinctly, that everyone must work hard to get where they want to go. Everyone must do what needs to be done to be successful. 

But what about doing what needs to be done - even when it doesn't make sense? 

I love the movie The Karate Kid. It's a classic. It's about a kid, who, well, learns lots of life lessons while also learning karate. 

In the movie, the kid named Daniel is excited because he's just convinced Mr. Myagi to teach him karate. He goes in for his first lesson, and Mr. Myagi has him wash his car, wax it, and even paint a fence, but he shows him how he wants it done. "Wax on, wax off." No karate whatsoever. Just work. 

Daniel is frustrated. He pitches a fit and says that he never wanted to teach him karate, just to have him work. And then the moment of realization comes when Mr. Myagi asks him to show him the moves he's been doing over the past few days. Wax on, wax off. Daniel didn't know it, but he was creating those basic karate moves with muscle memory. 

How often are you faced with something in life that doesn't make sense? How often is an obstacle put in your way, or a trial put in your path that you just don't understand? How often do you ask God the question, "Why am I doing this? It doesn't make SENSE!"

The Children of Israel had this happen to them. In Joshua chapters 1, 2, & 6, we learn about the fall of the walls of Jericho. 

Jericho was a small city of 10 acres but was packed with as many as 10,000 people. Ten acres isn't much land. It's estimated though that at least half of those 10,000 were soldiers. Joshua, meanwhile, commanded 600,000 men. They could have very easily and without much loss overtaken the city of Jericho, despite its fortified double-wall structure. 

But what did God do? Instead of telling them just to overtake them, God told them to march around the wall. 

Okay, let me reiterate this: instead of easily capturing the city in maybe a matter of minutes or hours, God told Joshua to march them around the city seven times each day and then seven times on the last day. He told them to blow their trumpets. 

I don't know about you, but I would be the one saying, "Um, this is stupid. Can we just overtake the city already?" 

Why would God do this? Because maybe God wanted to work things out so that they knew it wasn't them who did it.

God wants us work out things in our lives and see his power, to know who's really in charge, and for us to know what it wasn't us. He wants us to realize that we in our own power don't have all the answers - He does. He wants us to follow Him even when it doesn't make sense. 

Last Thoughts

Romans 8.28 is powerful - so popular and powerful in fact that we overlook this scripture sometimes. Romans chapters 6-12 are some of the most complex to understand in the Bible - clearly Paul is showing us his educational chops when writing this advanced text. But in the middle of all that, he writes this: 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." 

All things will work together for good in our lives if we love God. Loving God is a whole other lesson entirely, but this is a truth that we need to heed. We can trust and be still and know that EVERYTHING in our lives - from our college choices to girlfriends and boyfriends to deaths in our family to divorce and remarriage and affairs and accidents and lies and all sorts of other bad stuff that may happen to us - God can use that. 

I imagine God sitting up on His throne watching over us and seeing our struggles and smiling, saying, "I can work with that." And BOOM. He goes into action. 

You hear people say "Everything will be alright" all the time…if we're on God's side and love and trust him, we can truly say that. 

So when it feels as though God has let us down, don't forget that you aren't alone, give thanks, and realize you don't have all the answers, God does. 

Like Taft Ayers said in his tweet: Probably a good idea to watch this.​