²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,^[a] for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)

We may read this scripture and think that what it says is that God will put everything together for us in a neat little package with a bow on it. Making everything in our lives work together for our good. It is true, God does desire the best for us. However, God also knows that the best thing for us is often the opposite of what WE think we need.

This scripture points to God working circumstances together for the good according to His purpose. God is not saying He is going to give us everything and make it our lives perfect. In fact we may be experiencing the exact opposite if we truly desire God’s best. Because God’s best may require sacrifice from us.

We all want life to go along easily and safely, but life is not like that. It can rarely be easy and it is often not safe. God is working in the lives of believers to build His kingdom and that building process may shake up our lives from time to time. This is why seeking the simple life is better for those following Christ. It allows for change and adaptation that is less disruptive.