"This Is Good!"
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28
There was once a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life, positive or negative, and responding by saying, “This is good!”
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition, and the friend accidentally fired the gun and shot off the king’s thumb. After examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!” The king replied, “No, this is not good!” and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
A year later, the king was hunting in an area that was populated by cannibals. They captured him and took him to their village. Just before they got ready to eat the king, the cannibals noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Since they were superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So, untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. “You were right,” he said, “it was good that my thumb was blown off.” He told his friend what had happened. “And so, I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this.”
His friend responded, “No, this is good! It is good that you sent me to jail.” The king replied, “What do you mean this is good? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?” The friend replied, “If I had not been in jail, I would have been out there hunting with you when the cannibals captured you, and they would have eaten me.”
My friend, you may not understand why you have to go through what you have to go through, but it is for good. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
There was once a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life, positive or negative, and responding by saying, “This is good!”
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition, and the friend accidentally fired the gun and shot off the king’s thumb. After examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!” The king replied, “No, this is not good!” and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
A year later, the king was hunting in an area that was populated by cannibals. They captured him and took him to their village. Just before they got ready to eat the king, the cannibals noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Since they were superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So, untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. “You were right,” he said, “it was good that my thumb was blown off.” He told his friend what had happened. “And so, I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this.”
His friend responded, “No, this is good! It is good that you sent me to jail.” The king replied, “What do you mean this is good? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?” The friend replied, “If I had not been in jail, I would have been out there hunting with you when the cannibals captured you, and they would have eaten me.”
My friend, you may not understand why you have to go through what you have to go through, but it is for good. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Subscribe Now for Free Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2026
January
When God Feels Silent but is Still at WorkHow to Rebound After a Crushing LetdownWhen Your World Falls Apart After You Did Everything RightGod Is Still Building Roads in the DesertThe Chapter That Comes After TraumaWhen Hope Feels GoneWhen Your Words Start Working Against YouGod’s Resume Is Bigger Than Your SituationWaiting on God is Not Doing NothingBefore Circumstances ChangeGetting In Your Bag When Life Feels UnfairWinning With a Bad HandOverlooked, Insulted, and Still ChosenPrepared in the Field Before the Giant AppearsYou Were Trained for This MomentTaking Off Armor That Does Not FitFormed in the Field, Not on the StageWhen the Battle Is Not Actually YoursWhen You Feel the Urge to Go Through God’s PhoneFaith After Disappointment Still CountsKeep Showing Up Even When You Are ConfusedLocked Doors Do Not Stop JesusWhen You Need an Encounter for YourselfDoubt as a DoorwaySaying What Hurts When God Is in the RoomWhere Faith and Fear CollideShutdown Does Not Mean FinishedWhen Opposition Shows Up Mid-ProgressBuilding Without Responding to the MockeryA Mind to Work in the Middle of WearinessThe Wall Rose Because the People Did Not Quit
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
1 Comment
What a great message.