AUGUST 21

The Good in the Bad (2)

Bible Reading: Romans 8

Romans 8:28 (NASB), “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

I decided to spend another devotional focusing on this important verse, which is arguably one of the most memorized and quoted of all verses in the Bible.  Rightly so, for the truth of it has provided so much comfort to so many.  It serves as a kind of hinge-point in the chapter.  Preceding we’ve read of how we are told to expect to endure suffering in this world.  Amidst that suffering, we groan, yearning for the redemption of our bodies.  And we hope, with the Spirit-borne confidence, God will fulfill His promises to us.  The theme in the forthcoming verses has to do with our security and triumph.  If God is for us, who can stand against us?  Christ Himself is interceding for us!  Nothing can separate us from His love.  So, there is suffering now, even as we anticipate the triumph which is to come.

Romans 8:28 instructs us in important truths regarding God’s providence which will encourage our hearts amidst our present suffering.  That’s one reason why this verse is so often quoted.  I’ve witnessed the testimony of folks who have endured horrific ills, yet they speak of how they were strengthened by the wonderful promise we find here.

At the heart of this verse is the reality God can bring good out of bad.  That’s a message which transcends the entirety of Scripture—from the fall of man in Genesis 3 to the restoration of things in Revelation 22.  Central to everything is the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.  Man’s radical depravity was unveiled on the evil day Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Evil conspired to do its worst.  So, in one sense, it was an awful and tragic day when Jesus died.  But the badness of that bad led to a good result which is of transcendent import, for Jesus rose from the dead!  It is by means of His death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead that we’ve been saved from our sins.  Noteworthy is the fact God was able to use the evil acts of sinful men to accomplish His predetermined plan, thus bringing good out of bad (Acts 2:23).

God is well able to bring good out of bad because of who He is.  Because He is good and does good, He has the heart to work things together for good in our lives.  Because He works all things according to the counsel of His will, there is nothing we or anyone else can do to thwart Him.  He is all powerful.  Not even death itself could prevent Him from achieving His purpose.   In wisdom He carefully orchestrates the details or our lives in unseen ways.

In the “all things” spoken of there are all kinds of things—what we consider to be good and deem to be bad and even what we find to be ugly.  How helpful it is to know God is sovereignly at work to use them all in accomplishing His good purpose in our lives.

Randy Alcorn once offered some helpful insights on this verse.  Pointing out the verse doesn’t say that each individual thing is good, but that God works them together for good, Randy recalled how he often watched his mother bake cakes.  One day when she had all the ingredients set out–flour, sugar, baking powder, raw egg, vanilla–he sneaked a taste of each one. Except for the sugar, they all tasted horrible. Then his mother stirred them together and put the batter in the oven.  “It didn’t make sense to me,” he recalls, “that the combination of individually distasteful things produced such a tasty product.”  He concluded that God likewise “takes all the undesirable stresses in our lives, mixes them together, puts them under the heat of crisis, and produces a perfect result.”

UNDER HIS WINGS

Under His wings I am safely abiding;
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him–I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me and I am His child.

Refrain:
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed. (Refrain)

Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore. (Refrain)

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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