This a verse that is most often quoted in those tough or even tragic times. Many have used this verse to explain that bad things come from God. And frankly, there were times I was going through tough times when I did not want anyone to quote Romans 8:28. 

This verse has puzzled me over the years until recently when I got to studying it. First of all I recommend that you read 5 verses before this verse and 5 verses after it to get the context…or read the whole chapter. That usually helps to clear things up.

We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Romans 8:28, Amplified Bible (AMP)

What It Doesn’t Say

What Romans 8:28 didn’t say was that God is the author of the “all things”. Now to be sure, “all things” happen to just about everyone but I do not think all things come from God

¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect (^[d]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

James 1, Amplified Bible.

God does not author everything that happens in our lives.

What It Does Say

There are things that this verse does say and we usually miss then and end up missing what God wants to do in our lives.

1. It does say that  God will use all things, whether they are from him or not, to work together for our good. Now there are some things that do not come from God that we accept in our lives but shouldn’t accept because God has given us all that we need to accept them. For instance, we know that  worry does not come from God (Matthew 6:25-33) and yet we accept it…together with all its consequences in our lives.
2. It does say that God works all these things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Those who love him. Here is the simple equation: you love God=He will work all things for good

So next time you quote this verse, be cautious about the two things it does say and the one thing it does say lest you be be found to accept stuff that God wants you to deal with.