God works all things together for our good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Often in our times of trial we turned to Paul’s reassuring words that God has not deserted us but is at work in every circumstance of life. God uses the circumstances of life in such a way that, for those who love him, the outcome is always beneficial. The “good” of which Paul spoke is not necessarily what we think is best, but as the following verse implies, the good is conformity to the likeness of Christ, which is God’s ultimate plan for each of us. With this in mind it is easier to see how our difficulties are part of God’s total plan for changing us from what we are by nature to what he intends us to be.