Is your life part of a greater purpose, or can it sometimes feel like a collection of random circumstances? In this devotional, Megan J. Conner explores what Romans 8:28-30 teaches about God’s purpose, His sovereignty, and His ability to work through every part of our lives. Your story is not an accident, and your circumstances are not beyond God’s reach.

From creation to the way God knows and loves each of us personally, Scripture points to a God who has been present throughout our entire story. Even when we cannot understand what He is doing, we can trust that He is working all things together for good and drawing us closer to Him.

Highlights
Why it’s natural to wonder whether your life has a purpose
What Romans 8:28-30 reveals about God’s plan and purpose
How creation points to the intentional design of our Creator
Why your life is not simply a random collection of circumstances
How God can use every part of your story to draw you closer to Him
The importance of seeking biblical discernment when considering life's bigger questions
How gratitude can help us recognize where God has already been working

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Full Transcript Below:

Working All Things for Good
By Megan J. Conner

Bible Reading:
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” - Rom. 8:28-30 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered if God has a plan and a purpose for you? Or does it seem like your life has aimlessly evolved over time? Do you believe the circumstances you are in now are the result of fate or predestination? Or do you think your journey on this earth has simply been happenstance, a completely random assortment of events with no rhyme or reason behind each occurrence? 

These are tough questions that many of us tend to wrestle with internally. Whether we share these musings with others or not, many of us ponder whether our lives really have a purpose, and, if so, who or what is behind it. The world offers boundless explanations for humanity’s origin and design. From pointless existence to eternal destiny, it seems there are ideologies ready to appease any appetite or preference. However, an abundance of theories can cause chaos and confusion rather than promote confident assurance. This is why we must carefully consider and ask for God’s help with discernment as we contemplate the deeper meaning of each of our lives, so that we… “won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth,” (Eph. 4:14, NLT). 

As you seek to understand your reason for being, the answers might be much closer than you think. You do not need to travel the world or climb the highest mountain peak in search of purpose. You don’t need to exhaustively study to ascertain the origin of wisdom. You simply need to look up and look out. The answers you seek are evident right in front of your very eyes through creation. Nature, in all of its glory, demonstrates the divine. Majestic, intelligent design causes the sun to rise and set, the earth to orbit through the universe, and each individual heart to beat without conscious thought or effort.

John 1:3 states, “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him,” (NLT). Our Maker separated the sky from the waters, established all manner of life from the smallest seed to the giant sequoias, and formed you personally, individually, uniquely in your mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13). He knew you before you spoke your first word. He treasured you before you were even aware of his existence. So great is God’s love for you that he chose to proactively cover your sin and separation from God through the sacrifice of his only Son (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8). Even further, he has caused all things to work together for your good. Your life is not an accident. It is not the result of an arbitrary series of events. He has known you and chosen you. His eye has been upon every moment of your life. He has predestined your steps so that you would be drawn closer to him and share in his glory.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Do you feel that your life has meaning and purpose? Or do you wrestle with a lack of fulfillment and clarity? Have you wondered if your journey through life has been a haphazard assortment of random events? Or do you believe God has had a plan and a purpose behind every step? 

Regardless of which side you find yourself on, may I encourage you to take some time to reflect on today’s truths? If you read these words with confidence and assurance that God has been at work in your life, take some time to thank him for his good work. Think through specific circumstances where you know God was a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Ps. 119:05) and offer a prayer of gratitude. 

If today’s message was unfamiliar and challenged you to consider God’s presence in the design of your life, may I encourage you to recite this simple prayer below? As you pray, ask the Lord to give you eyes to clearly see how he has been at work in and through your life.

Lord, I come to you today unsure of your plans and purpose in my life. Would you help me to visibly see how you have been present and at work in my journey thus far? Even though I am still a bit unsure, I choose to believe that you see me and know me. Help me to fully comprehend your love for me. Amen.

Further Reading:
Rom. 5:5-11
John 3:16

Is your life part of a greater purpose, or can it sometimes feel like a collection of random circumstances? In this devotional, Megan J. Conner explores what Romans 8:28-30 teaches about God&rsquo;s purpose, His sovereignty, and His ability to work through every part of our lives. Your story is not an accident, and your circumstances are not beyond God&rsquo;s reach.
From creation to the way God knows and loves each of us personally, Scripture points to a God who has been present throughout our entire story. Even when we cannot understand what He is doing, we can trust that He is working all things together for good and drawing us closer to Him.
Highlights
<ul data-start="906" data-end="1387">
<li data-section-id="xytcid" data-start="906" data-end="966">Why it&rsquo;s natural to wonder whether your life has a purpose</li>
<li data-section-id="1sxjftr" data-start="967" data-end="1025">What Romans 8:28-30 reveals about God&rsquo;s plan and purpose</li>
<li data-section-id="15q3n9m" data-start="1026" data-end="1088">How creation points to the intentional design of our Creator</li>
<li data-section-id="atjdpb" data-start="1089" data-end="1155">Why your life is not simply a random collection of circumstances</li>
<li data-section-id="blzdcx" data-start="1156" data-end="1224">How God can use every part of your story to draw you closer to Him</li>
<li data-section-id="1wdfbbg" data-start="1225" data-end="1314">The importance of seeking biblical discernment when considering life's bigger questions</li>
<li data-section-id="1jndaou" data-start="1315" data-end="1387">How gratitude can help us recognize where God has already been working</li>
</ul>
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Sign up at <a href="https://newsletters.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword">LifeAudio.com/thegoodword</a>
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When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Working All Things for Good By Megan J. Conner
Bible Reading: &ldquo;And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn&nbsp;among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.&rdquo; - Rom. 8:28-30 (NLT)
Have you ever wondered if God has a plan and a purpose for you? Or does it seem like your life has aimlessly evolved over time? Do you believe the circumstances you are in now are the result of fate or predestination? Or do you think your journey on this earth has simply been happenstance, a completely random assortment of events with no rhyme or reason behind each occurrence?&nbsp;
These are tough questions that many of us tend to wrestle with internally. Whether we share these musings with others or not, many of us ponder whether our lives really have a purpose, and, if so, who or what is behind it. The world offers boundless explanations for humanity&rsquo;s origin and design. From pointless existence to eternal destiny, it seems there are ideologies ready to appease any appetite or preference. However, an abundance of theories can cause chaos and confusion rather than promote confident assurance. This is why we must carefully consider and ask for God&rsquo;s help with discernment as we contemplate the deeper meaning of each of our lives, so that we&hellip; &ldquo;won&rsquo;t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth,&rdquo; (Eph. 4:14, NLT).&nbsp;
As you seek to understand your reason for being, the answers might be much closer than you think. You do not need to travel the world or climb the highest mountain peak in search of purpose. You don&rsquo;t need to exhaustively study to ascertain the origin of wisdom. You simply need to look up and look out. The answers you seek are evident right in front of your very eyes through creation. Nature, in all of its glory, demonstrates the divine. Majestic, intelligent design causes the sun to rise and set, the earth to orbit through the universe, and each individual heart to beat without conscious thought or effort.
John 1:3 states, &ldquo;God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him,&rdquo; (NLT). Our Maker separated the sky from the waters, established all manner of life from the smallest seed to the giant sequoias, and formed you personally, individually, uniquely in your mother&rsquo;s womb (Ps. 139:13). He knew you before you spoke your first word. He treasured you before you were even aware of his existence. So great is God&rsquo;s love for you that he chose to proactively cover your sin and separation from God through the sacrifice of his only Son (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8). Even further, he has caused all things to work together for your good. Your life is not an accident. It is not the result of an arbitrary series of events. He has known you and chosen you. His eye has been upon every moment of your life. He has predestined your steps so that you would be drawn closer to him and share in his glory.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
Do you feel that your life has meaning and purpose? Or do you wrestle with a lack of fulfillment and clarity? Have you wondered if your journey through life has been a haphazard assortment of random events? Or do you believe God has had a plan and a purpose behind every step?&nbsp;
Regardless of which side you find yourself on, may I encourage you to take some time to reflect on today&rsquo;s truths? If you read these words with confidence and assurance that God has been at work in your life, take some time to thank him for his good work. Think through specific circumstances where you know God was a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Ps. 119:05) and offer a prayer of gratitude.&nbsp;
If today&rsquo;s message was unfamiliar and challenged you to consider God&rsquo;s presence in the design of your life, may I encourage you to recite this simple prayer below? As you pray, ask the Lord to give you eyes to clearly see how he has been at work in and through your life.
Lord, I come to you today unsure of your plans and purpose in my life. Would you help me to visibly see how you have been present and at work in my journey thus far? Even though I am still a bit unsure, I choose to believe that you see me and know me. Help me to fully comprehend your love for me. Amen.
Further Reading: Rom. 5:5-11 John 3:16

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Working All Things for Good

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/016a979c-385d-4cf4-a005-b4a40120c887/transcript