Do You Believe?

Circumstances yesterday made me refocus a few things in my life. Something happened that was totally unexpected and not at all welcome. And as I stewed and fretted, the thought suddenly hit me: so do I really believe Romans 8:28? And if I do, then why am I struggling against these circumstances when they really are working together for my good? I mean, they are if the verse really means what it says. And if I don't actually believe that verse, then how can I believe anything in the Bible? As an authority, the Word of God has to be taken in its entirety. It's not a smorgasbord for you to pick and choose what you want to believe.

In case you don't know that particular verse, it says this: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love god to them who are the called according tho his purpose.

I've been working part time in an auditor's office for a little over a year now. This past spring the work had gotten to be so much that I was staying an hour or two later almost every day, just to keep up. After talking it over with my husband, I approached my boss and asked if I could work full time for the summer. The extra money was needed for several projects we were working on. My boss agreed. At the end of summer, we had some decisions to make. My bosses had both commented that they would love to have me full time all the time. I knew that, with the workload as it was, if I went back to part time, I'd probably still end up spending extra time at work in order to get everything done. That extra time is comp time, and I don't need anymore. I've got more than I know what to do with. But the money--well, who couldn't use more of that?

So I talked to my boss again. He agreed to keep me on full time at least through the end of the year. In addition, he very graciously agreed to let me bring my homeschooling boys to the office several days every week so I could supervise their schooling while I worked. This month was the first month of the new arrangement, and yesterday was the first day of taking the boys in to do homeschooling. Yesterday I also got a call from my boss, who is out of town. Circumstances have changed and it is no longer going to work for him to pay me full time. That quickly I'm back to a part time worker. With part time pay.

I was so disappointed. I had plans for that money. Why did this have to happen?

That's when Romans 8:28 hit me in the face. Obviously we thought it was a good idea for me to work full time or we wouldn't have set it up. But for now anyway, God has other plans. Whatever His reasons, I know He has the best in mind for me. I know I love Him. Therefore, I know that even this is working together for good.

So what about you? Do you believe? Has something happened in your life recently to make you focus on God's will? Even if you don't understand it, it's still for your good if you love Him.