WHAT’S NEXT?

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

EXPLORATION
Quotes from Larry Osborne’s book:
10 dumb things smart christians believe
p.88 No matter what happens, God is in control. He’s King of the universe. And he’s good. But that doesn’t mean he’s the direct cause of everything that happens. It doesn’t mean that everything that happens is something he wants to happen. And it certainly doesn’t mean that everything he allows is good.
p.89 No verse gets misquoted more often when it comes to trying to make sense out of life’s trials.
p.93 Those who assume that everything that happens has God’s fingers-prints all over it fail to distinguish between what God allows and what God causes – what God permits and what God prefers. The Bible makes it clear that there are a number of scenarios where the dark trials of our lives have nothing to do with God’s wonderful plans for our lives.
p. 100 the fact is, just as it was for Joseph, it’s nearly impossible for us to distinguish which of the painful events in our life result from God’s orchestration, which ones he is planning to use, and which ones he’ll overcome in eternity. In the meantime it doesn’t really matter. Every trial or hardship calls for the same response: obedience. We are to do the right thing no matter what the outcome.

APPLICATION
Obedience

PRAYER
Father,
May these verses in James, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” help me to live out Romans 8:28 with more clarity.
I don’t know “what’s next” in my life our the life of my loved ones. But I trust that You will help us to be obedient.
May we bring you glory and honor, no matter “what’s next”