Hope

Good Morning,

Romans 5:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

All of us, from time to time, wonder why God allows us to go through the difficult times and situations that every one of us has endured in our lives. We certainly don't ask Him to give us these hardships and we definitely don't enjoy them when they come. But, today's verses give us some insight as to the reasons that God has which make our trying times, if not easy, at least understandable. Paul even suggests that we "rejoice in our sufferings." Now, I don't know about you, but at the time I'm going through my "sufferings" it's really anything but easy to rejoice and be truly joyful about them. Just being honest here.

OK, we agree that we don't like our rough and trying times, at least while we are living through them, but do we understand, as Paul has tried to explain in what we read today, that they are really worth it? We are told that our suffering through difficulties has benefits that we surely don't see at the time we are going through them. God tells us that our "suffering" brings about "perseverance"...we have to admit that we need that we need to be resolute and have that plugging along attitude in order to be successful in our lives. Then we read that perseverance will cause us to have a better character. So, what, exactly does that mean? Character? That, my friends, is who we are when nobody is looking and the world isn't watching our every step. That character that Paul writes about is what only God sees...but it is that which we know we are, deep inside. That very same character that we gain because we've suffered and persevered through the suffering, is what give us true hope. Hope not that we might wish something, but hope which is the secure knowledge of our salvation and that we will spend an eternity with God.

I suggest that the things which bring about our hope, no matter how difficult, are worth going through. So, why does God allow us to go through all that He does? Simply put, it's because he wishes for us, with His help, to persevere through all difficulties and hardships. Then, just as day follows the darkest night, that same perseverance will build character within us. And it is that character which gives us true hope.

Yes, it's hard for us to see the end results through the fog of difficulties and suffering. But, we have the knowledge that there is so much better on the other side.

God says so. I believe it.
Love, peace, and blessings,

David