God not only works on us from within, but He also “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to the purpose.” How I worship God that He is working all things together! Because of His working, eventually we all shall be conformed to the image of the Son of God. Everyone in the New Jerusalem will be in the image of the Son of God. This is God’s work, not ours. In order to accomplish this, He causes all things to work together for good.
Verses 29 and 30 indicate that all the work is God’s. He foreknew, He predestinated, He called, He justified, and He glorified. Notice that the verbs here are in the past tense. According to verse 30, even glorification has already been accomplished. Although we can easily believe that we have been predestinated, called, and justified, we may have difficulty believing that we have already been glorified. But in the eyes of God there is no time element. In His eyes we have been glorified already.
Whenever I am desperate about today’s situation, the Lord comforts me and encourages me to rest, for He is doing all the work. In fact, in a sense, the work has already been finished. According to the book of Revelation, Satan is in the lake of fire, and the New Jerusalem has been built up. The fact that the Apostle John could see Satan in the lake of fire and the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God indicates that in the eyes of God these things have already taken place. Therefore, I have the full assurance to say that whether you are lazy or diligent in seeking the Lord, one day you will be in the image of the Son of God.
We all are being sanctified and transformed, whether or not we feel that anything is taking place within us. If you compare your condition today with the way you were several years ago, you will worship the Lord and thank Him for the sanctifying work He has done in you. Once the Lord has “tea-ified” us, we cannot be the same, even if we decide to leave the church life and go back to the world. You may return to the world, but you will not be able to eradicate the work of sanctification and transformation the Lord has done within you. By contacting Christ and the church something happens within us organically. Day by day the Lord is sanctifying and transforming us.
Although no one likes to suffer, the more we suffer, the more we are sanctified. As I remember the saints in the presence of the Lord and pray for them, I often pray that they will have peace and joy. Not knowing how to pray for the saints, I sometimes groan before the Lord, acknowledging that He alone knows their real need. As 8:26 says, “The Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness; for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” In our groaning the interceding Spirit prays for the saints to be conformed to the image of the Son of God.
Sometimes we may not be happy with the way the Lord deals with us. For example, a brother may not be content with the wife he has; he may think that another brother has a much better wife than he. But we all have the husband or wife who is best for us. Whatever the Father gives us is the best. He knows what we need. Those who suffer are truly under His blessing. Every wife, every husband, and every environment is the best. Everything that happens to us is God’s best for us. You should praise the Lord not only when you have an excellent job but also when you are unemployed. There may be times when unemployment is better for you than a good job. The Lord is never mistaken in the way He deals with us. He knows what He is doing.
Praise the Lord that He is now sanctifying and transforming us in order to glorify us! Through the work of transformation, He is conforming us to the image of His Son. Do not separate sanctification, transformation, and conformation; all three are interrelated and are for the goal of glorification. Today we are in the process of glorification. One day, when this process has been completed, we shall all be in glory.