One year my wife, Carol, and her sister worked all week long to put together a meal for our family for Christmas day. The entire extended family was going to be at our house. Carol and her sister got all the food done on Christmas Eve, and we put the presents under the tree. We were looking forward to a special day with everyone.

At five o’clock on Christmas morning, I woke up to the sound of my wife moving around in the other room. She wasn’t doing more holiday preparations. Carol was sick.

“Oh, no!” I thought. “She worked so hard for our Christmas day!”

Later my daughter Sue called, and she was sick too. Her husband, Brian, couldn’t make it either.

It was a mess. But you know what I was reminded of?

All things work together for good.

The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Even the family getting sick would work together for good! I had read that verse and rejoiced in it, but the test came when I had to live it.

The meanest people can plot against us, slander us, or hurt us—but God our Father has the whole thing under control. Democrats and Republicans talk about all kinds of plans, and we worry about what’s going to happen, but God’s going to work their plans out for our good. Anything and everything that happens to us, God is going to use it to bring about good in our lives. Do you believe that?

I wish I could take you all into my office, sit with you, and say, “Please believe what Jesus said!” Because choosing to not believe God’s promises—including the promise that He has the ability to work everything out for our good—is like calling God a liar.

Remember the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah and all the perversion and violence they stood for? Their sin was so great that God finally destroyed them. But the Bible tells us that unbelief is worse than the sin of Sodom (see Matthew 11:23–24). Whatever the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were doing, they were just indulging their twisted desires. But unbelief says, “You’re a liar, God. I’m not believing You.”

Not believing God is the worst thing. No wonder the disciples said, “Lord, increase our faith.”

What are you facing this Christmas? Maybe it’s ruined plans, like my family had. Maybe it’s a bigger problem, like a worrisome diagnosis or a financial mountain or grief over the loss of a loved one.

Whatever it is, let’s have more faith this Christmas than ever before! God’s going to work everything out for our good. That’s in the Bible, so we have to believe it! Whatever situation, trial, or heartbreak we’re going through today, God is going to work it out in a way that brings grace, strength, and blessing to our lives.

Prayer

Lord, please give us a holy, happy Christmas. Keep us from sin. Help us to stand true for You. We love You, and we know that You have the ability to work all things out for our good and for Your glory. Give us faith that will help us to stay with You through thick and thin, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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