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.”
DEVOTIONAL
Waiting is rarely comfortable. Whether it’s waiting for healing, for direction, for provision, or for a prayer to be answered, the silence of God can sometimes feel like absence. But Scripture reminds us that silence is not the same as stillness — and stillness is not the same as idleness. God is never idle. He is always working, even when we cannot see it.
Romans 8:28 is one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture — not because it promises an easy life, but because it anchors our hearts in the sovereignty of God. “All things work together for good.” That includes the waiting. That includes the long nights and the unfulfilled hopes. That includes the moments when you feel like nothing is moving forward. God does not waste a single moment of your life.
Notice Paul’s confidence: “We know…” He doesn’t say we guess or we hope — but we know. This is not wishful thinking; it’s certainty grounded in God’s unchanging character. The good that Paul speaks of is not always what we would define as good — comfort, ease, or quick solutions — but rather, the kind of good that God defines: shaping us into the likeness of His Son (see Romans 8:29), deepening our trust, and setting our hope firmly on heaven.
The waiting seasons of life are often the most spiritually formative. Think of Joseph, unjustly imprisoned for years — yet God was working behind the scenes to position him for a greater purpose. Or David, anointed king but chased through the wilderness, learning to depend wholly on the Lord. Or even our Lord Jesus, who waited thirty years before beginning His public ministry — and in the garden of Gethsemane, waited on the Father’s will even through anguish.
Dear believer, if you are in a season of waiting, take heart. The waiting room is not a wasted room. Your God is at work in ways far deeper and wiser than you can yet perceive. Trust that His timing is perfect. Trust that His hand is steady. And above all, remember: the God who gave His Son for you will not leave you now.
You may not yet see what He is doing — but one day, you will look back and see that even in the waiting, He was weaving all things together for your eternal good and His eternal glory.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to trust You in the waiting. When I cannot see Your hand, let me rest in Your heart. Give me patience, not just to endure, but to believe — to believe that You are working even now, drawing me closer, shaping me deeper, and preparing me for the good You have promised. In Jesus’ name, amen.