All things work together for good to those who love God

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

This verse has usually used to comfort believers when they are in difficulty, facing struggles and hardships. In a more general sense it says that God is in control of everything. It is His providence rather than any coincidence that we are placed in any situation. We can always make use of the current situation and be a blessing for others, as we yield to God's providence.

But I have called you friends

John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 

Our Lord Yshua calls us His friend. This is extraordinary to most people, even among the people of God, but it should not be too surprising for those who really know God. Back in the Old Testament days, we already see God making a few people his friends and they were not close to perfect people anyway. The two great examples are Abraham and Moses. As part of this friendship, the relationship would involve self-sacrifice. This also means obedience to God, on the people's part. One aspect of this obedience would be to seek out God's will in the various things in our lives and not just fulfilling our own desires.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne

Isaiah 6:1
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 

The prophet Isaiah saw the vision of the Lord the year that King Uzziah died. For background, the king has faithful to the Lord for the most part of his reign. He enjoyed great blessings in terms of the power and strength of his kingdom, which flows on to be blessings for the whole nation. Later on, he was struck by Leprosy due to his pride which cause him to burn incense in the Temple - that role is supposed to be for priests only. The end of his reign marks an important time and that time is also the calling of the prophet Isaiah. God knows when important chapters in history is beginning and ending. He knows the future just as well as in the past. Isaiah would have known the Lord already, and he was spiritually ready when the Lord called him.

And he went out, not knowing where he was going

Hebrews 11:8 
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Abraham went out of his country away from his extended family, as he obeyed God. The context at that time is that God had not told Abraham the final destination. He knew God and obviously had a relationship with God already. But looking at the wrongs he did during various parts of his life after that initial call, we know that Abraham was far from perfected yet, when he first obeyed God to leave his country.

What this means is that it is possible to have a close relationship with God, while even though we know we are far from sinlessness nor perfection. We can have a deep relationship with God and hear what he says to us. Then our response is to obey and follow in faith. Living this way is the natural way to become what God wants us to be, as we will be transformed daily to be like him.