Scriptures That Have Gripped My Heart: Romans 8:26-28

Scriptures That Have Gripped My Heart

Romans 8:26-28 

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

As we read or hear the Word of God, many times the Holy Spirit will quicken a particular passage and cause it to become powerful in our lives.  In this series, I have the joy of sharing some of those scriptures that have gripped my heart and transformed me by the renewing my mind (Romans 12:2).

Romans 8:26-28 (NKJV): “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

We often quote verse 28 without the surrounding context.  We sometimes ask, “All things, God?  All things work together for good?  I don’t see that.  I grieve.  I hurt.  I have been unjustly treated.  How can those things work together for good?”

Notice the two requirements:  loving God and answering the call to His purpose.  What is God’s purpose for our lives?

The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah: “Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him"  (Isaiah 43:7  NKJV).  Our purpose is to glorify God in our lives.

How can we do this when we are in pain?

Jesus said, ^“”These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NKJV).  

And we ask. “How can I have peace?  I don’t even know how to pray for peace.”

While we are in anguish, Holy Spirit, Who indwells us, is praying for us.  His intercession for us is too deep for words.  He prays the will of God over us.  God is good and His will for us is good. 

The further context of this passage is even more encouraging.

 
^“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39 NKJV).

God’s purpose for our lives is to reflect His glory.  When we allow Him to strengthen, guide, love and protect us through our afflictions, we become overcomers and testimonies of His goodness.  And that is how He makes all things work together for good.