Some things in life don't look good while you're going through them.

The disappointment wasn't good. The delay didn't feel good. The closed door, unexpected change, loss, or season you didn't choose may have left you wondering, “God, how could You possibly use this?”

Romans 8:28 doesn't tell us that everything that happens is good. It tells us that God is able to work all things together for good.

That's an important difference.

God doesn't ask us to pretend that difficult things don't hurt. Instead, He gives us confidence that our pain, setbacks, mistakes, and unexpected seasons don't have the final word. Nothing we experience is beyond His ability to redeem.

God can use what taught you.

He can use what stretched you.

He can use what redirected you.

He can use what didn't work out the way you planned.

He can even redeem what hurt you.

Think about a puzzle. When you're holding one piece in your hand, it may be difficult to understand where it belongs. But the person who sees the entire picture knows exactly where that piece fits.

Sometimes we're looking at one piece while God is looking at the whole picture.

And notice how Romans 8:28 ends: “according to His purpose.”

There is purpose beyond what you can currently see.

What feels like an interruption may become preparation. What looked like rejection may have been redirection. What you thought set you back may become part of the testimony God uses to strengthen someone else.

Purposed Woman, don't judge the story while God is still working.

You don't have to understand every piece to trust the hands holding them. God sees what you cannot see, knows what you don't yet know, and is able to weave even the difficult parts of your story into His purpose.

It's still working. God is still working. And there is still purpose in your story. 💕