Consider two thoughts from which I will take my comments (While reading this, ask yourself… “Is it possible that what is taking place in my life right now is God at work instead of Satan attacking me?”).  Now…

God will conform every believer to the image of His Son… without exception… without hesitation.  That is what Romans 8:29 means.

When it comes to conforming Christians to the image of Jesus Christ, everything is on the table… nothing is beyond being touched.  That is the premise for Romans 8:29 which comes from Romans 8:28.

No Christian is today what God wills them to be or become.  So God is working now to make every believer more and more like Jesus over years and decades… a lifetime… and this process will not be completed until they are with Him in glory.  Now, with that said, what is God willing to do to make (Conform) His children to the image of His Son (Apply this personally)?

God is willing to cause (allow) them to be imprisoned…

God is willing to cause (allow) them to lose their possessions and jobs…

God is willing to have (allow) them to be beaten…

God is willing to cause (allow) them to be killed…

God is willing to use demons to humble His children…

God is willing to say no to them when they pray…

Aside: What we experience in life isn’t often close to what early Christians experienced because of their faith!

God is NOT being harsh in all these things… He is being loving!  In doing each, several, or all those He is doing the BEST thing for us that can be done!  He is tearing down idols.  He is forcing complete reliance upon Him.  He is driving us to pray.  He is conforming us to Jesus. If we would place this thought in our mind (Instead of having pity parties) we could rejoice in what we know the end result will on day be.  I’m talking to myself…

Who do we think we are to question God’s motives, intentions, and means?  The clay cannot say to the Potter, “Why have you made me like this?  Why did you do this?  What were you thinking?”  Remember something… God is God.  Therefore He can do whatever He wants… whenever He wants… to whoever He wants… and it is always good BECAUSE HE IS GOD.

The only things Satan can do in the life of a Christian actually aids in completing GOD’S will of conforming them to the image of Christ!  In other words, God uses Satan to accomplish the Christian’s sanctification!

So in the midst of life’s struggles may we “rejoice in the Lord always,” and affirm James 1:2-4…

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.