All Things Work Together

As much as I want to claim
Romans 8:28 for my life,
I think the things that work together
For good are rightly understood corporately,
Not personally.

Life is not a bigger or better game,
Where each team starts with a small box
And asks neighbors for something
Bigger or better, often ending
With some useless item that simply
Hasn’t gone to the dump yet,
Like a moldy mattress. You win!

God doesn’t always take something good
And give you something better.

With the death of a parent,
You don’t get a replacement.
With the death of a child—same thing.

Some losses are just
Losses.

I believe that in pain,
God is with you.

But let’s not minimize true loss
With some platitude to make that loss
Less gut-wrenching.