When God Says It’s For Your Good (But You Can’t See It Yet)

Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. I’ve quoted that verse countless times. I’ve clung to it in hard seasons. I’ve reminded others of it when they were struggling.

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

But right now? I’m having a really hard time believing it.

My family and I are living with my in-laws. And before anyone jumps to give me the “be grateful” speech – I am grateful. Truly. We have a roof over our heads when we could have none. But gratitude and struggle can exist in the same space, and that’s where I’m living right now.

We’re squeezed into an allotted amount of space with only what’s absolutely necessary – some clothing, toiletries, the bare essentials. Everything else we own is packed away somewhere, inaccessible. The things that made our house feel like our home? Gone for now. The kids’ favorite toys? Most of them are in storage. That coffee mug I loved? No idea where it is.

There’s no privacy. You know that moment when you just need to decompress, to have a conversation with your husband without an audience, to discipline your kids without feeling like you’re being watched and judged? Yeah, we don’t have that anymore. Every parenting decision, every discussion, every moment of frustration happens with witnesses.

We don’t have enough room. The kids are on top of each other. We’re all on top of each other. Tensions run high when personal space doesn’t exist.

And then there are the cars. Both of them. Two separate accidents wiped out both of our vehicles. We’re now that family borrowing cars and bumming rides, coordinating schedules like we’re playing Tetris, hoping we’re not inconveniencing anyone too much while knowing full well that we are.

Oh, and the money situation? Let’s just say it’s tight. Really tight. The kind of tight where you’re doing mental math in the grocery store and putting things back on the shelf.

So when I read that God only does things for my good, for my family’s good, I want to believe it. I really do. But I’m struggling to see it.

Where’s the good in feeling like we’ve lost our independence?

Where’s the good in my kids not having their own space?

Where’s the good in the constant stress of not having reliable transportation?

Where’s the good in the financial strain that keeps me up at night?

I know what I’m supposed to say here. I’m supposed to tie this up with a neat bow and tell you about all the lessons God is teaching me. I’m supposed to list the silver linings and the ways I’ve grown.

But honestly? I’m not there yet.

I’m in the middle of it, and the middle is messy. The middle is where faith feels less like confident trust and more like white-knuckling through another day. The middle is where “God works all things for good” sounds more like a question than a statement.

Maybe you’re in the middle of something too. Maybe you’re reading this and nodding along because you also can’t see the good yet. Maybe you’re tired of people telling you to “just trust God” when you’re barely keeping your head above water.

I don’t have answers for you. I don’t even have answers for myself.

But here’s what I’m holding onto, even when my grip feels weak: God says He works things for my good. Not that everything is good, but that He’s working it toward good. Present tense. Active. Still in progress.

Maybe the good isn’t supposed to be visible yet. Maybe I’m not supposed to understand it while I’m still in it. Maybe faith isn’t about seeing the purpose clearly – maybe it’s about trusting that there is one, even when all the evidence in front of me suggests otherwise.

I’m choosing to believe that this chapter isn’t the end of our story. That there’s something on the other side of this that we can’t see from where we’re standing. That somehow, some way, God is going to use even this.

But I’ll be honest – some days that choice feels impossible.

So if you’re struggling to see the good in your situation too, you’re not alone. You’re not failing at faith. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re human, and you’re hurting, and that’s okay.

God is big enough to handle our doubts. He’s big enough to hold us when we can’t hold ourselves together. He’s big enough to work good out of situations that feel anything but good.

I’m believing that today. Ask me again tomorrow – I might need to be reminded.

But for today, it’s enough.

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What about you? Have you ever struggled to see God’s good in a hard season? How did you get through it – or are you still in the middle too? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.