God’s Perfect Plan

“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 all are very familiar with these words. But do I really believe them when trials line up one after another and life is nowhere near what I had thought or planned? Or when I encounter circumstances that expose aspects of my nature that I did not know existed?

But this is precisely God’s incomprehensibly wise plan for me. It is there, when I do not understand what God wants with me, that I can surrender completely to faith that this very thing works together for my good. Not for a good and comfortable life, but for an opportunity for transformation—to see myself and put to death the sin that clings so closely to me. “. . . and I died.” .

“Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.” . Jesus did the will of His Father, without doubting for a moment that it was right. He was tempted as we are, but suffered patiently and overcame. The same living faith that God can work miracles in my life is decisive if there is to be progress and growth. But for this to happen, I must let God in and accept the trials He sends as a help to salvation—to becoming conformed to Jesus. Then the next verse in Romans 8 will also be fulfilled: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” .

By God’s infinite grace we have, through the church, been given brothers and sisters who have gone ahead of us and shown in practice how they came to a rich and blessed life through faith in the word of God, not by their own righteousness or natural abilities. Here I will follow them, without guile or doubt that God’s plan for me is perfect.

Arild Ådalen