“A person’s steps are from the Lord; how then can people understand their path?” (Proverbs 20:24,CEB).

“We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, CEB).

Does Solomon ask a rhetorical question in this proverb? How can we know what will happen to us in life since it is all determined by God?

Or, is he decrying the fact that it is impossible for human beings to know God’s will because we’re not spiritual enough to fully understand God?

Maybe he is simply issuing a challenge: God has a plan for your life, so discover what it is!

The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:28 seems to think it’s the latter, that when we belong to God then the purpose of our lives is to accomplish His will.

So, our steps are indeed from the Lord and we can know and understand where He is leading us. We can live providentially.

But, when things go bad, we act like it won’t work out. We don’t believe these bad things can be part of the “all” things that work together for good.

Here’s the first lesson to be learned from these verses: God is in control of everything. God is good and His will is a good thing. And, when our will is to do God’s will, then we are assured that everything that happens to us, even bad things, work for God’s greater good and, consequently, our own good!

If you belong to Jesus, then it’s all going to work out for good because God is in control and He is good!

Good happens! That’s the assurance God gives us in Christ.