Jason Silver

Friday, May 29th, 2026

All Things Work (Romans 8:28-30)

How many times have I leaned on this verse from the midst of trial or despair? A countless number of times. (This is one of the things I love about scripture. So much of it is perfectly suited to address the hungers, pains, and disappointments in every soul).

It's interesting that this group of verses isn't just about trusting in God through difficulty circumstances, it's also a hint at the reason for the struggles we face: so that we are conformed to the image of God's son. Knowing the why of our struggle sometimes makes it easier to endure, because if we want to be like Jesus, this reason can underscore our faith and our hope!

We hope to be more like Jesus. We see our lives transformed before our very eyes!

It starts with God's foreknowledge, and then that he selects us. It continues to him calling to us to follow His ways. As we respond to His invitation, He refines us and perfects us, and we become justified by his grace!

And where does it end? According to Paul here, it ends with our own glorification! What a beautiful chain of events!

But isn't it also kind of weird? I have always believed God seeks only His own glory, so what's all this about the glorification of me a common man?

But that is the plan God has for us as we are conformed to the image of Jesus!

If God has justified you--if he has declared you righteous through faith in Christ--then He has already committed Himself to glorifying you.

The glory is “revealed in us” and “in store for us” (earlier, in verse 18). We will share Christ’s glory as co-heirs (verse 17), reign with Him, and even see creation itself set free when God’s children are finally glorified (verses 19–21).

In other words, Paul is not saying God glorifies Himself as the end goal here (though everything ultimately does glorify God). He is saying the end result of the chain for us--the people in the chain--is our glorification. It is our destiny, our inheritance, our final transformation. God does it for those He has foreknown, predestined, called, and justified.

That is why Paul can comfort suffering Christians: “If God has already justified you, your glorification is as good as done. Nothing can stop it.”

What a hope that is, don't you agree?