Daydreaming About Romans 8:28.

As a little boy I was sensitive, artistic, bored, and bullied. I was in trouble ALL the time.

But I had amazing parents—and a wild imagination. And there was this one crazy daydream that stuck with me, a theme I came back to constantly: I imagined that I was the center of my own “SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY.”

I would imagine that I was the center of a secret celestial world where God would have meetings and assign parts to everyone. The bully would do something to me on Monday. My teacher would be told to punish me unjustly on Tuesday. My parents had duties. My younger brother Dennis had assignments. There were jobs for the preacher, celebrities, strangers, my next-door neighbors—everyone. And why did the universe get together and talk about what they were orchestrating in the life of Steven every week?

Because God knew the only way I would grow up to be all that He created me to be was if I were challenged by all the right problems. So God gave assignments to everyone to create problems for me—knowing that those problems would make me stronger.

Of course, I knew none of this was true. I was NOT the center of anyone’s universe. BUT—God IS sovereign, and though He does not make people hurt each other, He USES it. My daydreams were not completely false.

So when I was a teenager and first heard Romans 8:28, I GOT IT. I understood the verse IN MY BONES. Of course, God controls everything and uses it to grow me up. I memorized that verse immediately and it has gotten me through thousands of problems.

“For we know that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD to those who love God and to those who are CALLED according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.

Thank you, God, that you are IN CONTROL! Remind me that You can use EVERYTHING to mold me into who You designed me to be. I trust You—even with my problems! Thank you that You turn them ALL into GOOD things!

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