For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
—Romans 8:29-30
If your life feels a little out of control today, you’re not alone. We all have problems. The old saying is true: you’re either going into a problem, coming out of one, or right in the middle of one. So, which is it for you right now?
But here’s the good news buried in these verses, and it’s glorious. Look at the chain Paul lays out: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified. It’s an unbreakable chain, and every link holds. From eternity past to eternity future, God has been working out His purpose for those who are His. Nothing in that chain is left dangling. What God starts, God finishes.
And notice the tense of these verbs, they’re in the past. Even “glorified,” which is still future for us, Paul writes as already done. Why? Because God inhabits eternity. From where He sits, your glorification is so certain it can be spoken of as finished. In God’s mind, your purpose is already a settled, accomplished fact. He’s simply walking you through it in time.
That should steady you when the future looks scary. Maybe you’re facing a major decision or wondering where you’ll be in five or ten years. Maybe you don’t even know where you want to go, much less how to get there. Here’s a word of encouragement: God knows where you’re going, and He knows exactly how to get you there.
Time means nothing to God, but timing means everything. He is never early and never late. He has an eternal plan for your life that is complete and perfect, and He has orchestrated every step along the way. You’re not improvising your way through life and hoping it works out. You are walking out a plan that was settled in the heart of God before you were born.
And look at the goal of the whole thing, not your comfort, but this: “conformed to the image of his Son.” That’s what God is up to in your life. Every circumstance, every trial, every detour is being used by a sovereign hand to make you more like Jesus. There are no accidents.
So, you may not be able to change the circumstances of your life, but you can change how you view them. Don’t see your problems as enemies, obstacles, or barriers to fear. And don’t let them devour you. See them instead as opportunities to experience God’s love and power in a greater way than ever before, tools in the hands of the One who is conforming you to His Son.
Take a deep breath. If you belong to Christ, you are caught up in a chain that cannot be broken. God knew you, chose you, called you, justified you, and He will most certainly glorify you. He is preparing and positioning you, in His perfect timing, for His perfect purpose.
GOD KNOWS WHERE YOU’RE GOING AND HOW TO GET YOU THERE, HIS CHAIN OF GRACE CANNOT BE BROKEN. TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
