What does God want from this?

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

Many people are wrestling with why God would allow the COVID-19 pandemic to happen. Too often, people struggling with questions of evil and calamity will come to the wrong conclusions either about God or the situation at hand (Sam did an excellent job in addressing these concerns here).

I intend to explore a specific aspect of a topic Sam touched on a few weeks ago. Many Christians struggle with interpreting the “good” in Romans 8:28 in light of calamity and tragedy, COVID-19 pandemic included. A proper understanding of the text will not only aid in resolving that struggle, but also provide hope and motivation to pursue God’s will in particularly difficult times.

Defining “Good”

When people read Romans 8:28, many are prone to taking it out of context almost immediately. At a base level, some will simply define the “good” mentioned in the verse however they want it to be defined; that is, “good” becomes whatever they think is “good,” totally disregarding what God has said on the matter. Others will look at the passage and concede that, indeed, “good” must be defined by God, but will speak in nebulous terms which serve only as cold comfort to those genuinely searching for the “good” in difficult situations. There are, perhaps, passages in Scripture which lend themselves to more general interpretations so as to not overstep what the text allows, but Romans 8:28 is not one of those passages. The “good” here is, in its context, clearly defined in such a way that every single Christian can know and capably demonstrate what exactly Paul is discussing when he uses the term.

An exploration of the limiting criteria in the verse is in order. The “good” is reserved specifically for “those who are called according to his purpose.” This phrase limits the scope of “good” in two different ways. First, everyone who is not “called according to his purpose” is excluded from the “good” discussed in this passage. More specifically, the “called” are those who have become one with Christ: Christians (1 Corinthians 7:17). There may be some good afforded to those outside the Church in calamitous times, but that promise is not given in this passage. Indeed, Romans 8 - and really the book of Romans as a whole - discusses many of the blessings and privileges that God has bestowed on the Church. Second, this phrase also contextualizes the “good” to exist within the confines of God’s purpose. This completely invalidates the possibility that the “good” described in Romans 8:28 can be left up to my judgment. The “good” will serve God’s purpose, not my own. Admittedly, this can be tough to accept. When loved ones die from illness, it can be difficult to find the “good” Paul discusses. That is not to suggest that everything that happens is intrinsically good - stop suggesting it was God’s (good) will for a tragedy to happen - but that everything can work toward good. If the definition of “good” was limited to simply v. 28, that would be enough for us to put our faith in God, but we would not be able to provide specific answers to what God’s purpose is in the midst of tragedy. Thankfully, the chapter does not end there.

The Next Verse

If the “good” in v. 28 is properly contextualized within its own verse, then it is firmly defined in v. 29. Paul writes, “for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” The “good” toward which all things work together, the “good” that serves as God’s purpose for his people, is that we become conformed to the image of Christ, becoming more like him with each passing circumstance. The knowledge of whether or not God is directly responsible for any particular circumstance is not always given to us, but it is clear that he will use whatever circumstance in which we find ourselves in order to transform us from what we are into what he would have us to be.¹ If the goal is to be like Christ, then learning obedience through suffering should not be bewildering, as that is exactly what Christ himself did (Hebrews 5:8). Sometimes, suffering will come as a direct result of our commitment to Christ; at other times, it will come for reasons that are unknowable from our perspective. Regardless, all forms of suffering can lead to spiritual maturation (James 1:2-4). Whatever you might be enduring through this pandemic - be it health problems, the loss of loved ones, financial hardship, isolation, depression, fear, suffocating levels of stress, or any other struggle - God intends on using your circumstance to drive you to rely on him more and thereby be further conformed to the image of his Son.

A Progressive Perspective

A proper perspective of Romans 8:28 should transition us from asking “Why does God allow this?” to “What does God want from me in this?” A revised perspective of this current pandemic will lend itself toward looking into how, specifically, we can become more Christ-like. Maybe the pandemic provides an opportunity to be compassionate, as Christ was, toward those who are in need (Luke 10:30-35). Do not deceive yourself, there are many who have various unmet needs during this crisis. Maybe the pandemic allows for an opportunity for further devotion to the word and prayer. Many of us have more downtime now than we have had in any other point in our adult lives. Frittering the majority of it away on social media and video streaming services is tantamount to wasting precious time the Lord has given us (Ephesians 5:16, 17). If Christ’s earthly life was defined by the work the Father gave him, then our time should also be defined by working for the Father.

If it is true that God’s purpose for me in this life, even in the midst of this pandemic, is that I become more like his Son, then I should do everything I can to pursue that transformation. This pandemic is unlike anything almost everyone alive has ever experienced, but God intends to use it for our spiritual maturation. We would do well to live accordingly.

¹ Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 188.