Romans 5:3-5 GOD’S WORD Translation
3 But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, 4 endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. 5 We’re not ashamed to have this confidence, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Suffering Produces Perseverance, Character and Hope—Romans 5:3-5
Why does suffering produce patience, perseverance, character, and hope?
These are the gold standard characteristics but scarce.
If I had a choice, I would rather purchase virtues from Amazon.
I’d have them overnight if I purchased them in sufficient dollar levels or in 2 days, they wouldn’t cost much—Prime shipping is free after all, am I right?
So why is it that suffering the primary way we develop good things in our lives?
I think (I could be wrong) when we suffer we look for love, ergo we look for God.
We look for God – God always wants to be found – God finds us – We notice Him.
After awhile, It becomes apparent He is working in our lives and the situation.
This process can be “nails on a chalkboard” long, but but as Paul writes in these verses, waiting develops patience in us – and patience deepens into a steadfast, steely iron on iron sharpened determination humanity has called perseverance.
This is the forge where hope takes shape and with vigorous grinding – it shines.
This sharpened edge called Hope, when we take the time break it down, when we make the time to hone its edge, down is a confident and joyful expectation.
In suffering, we anchored our hope to God, who is the author, source of hope.
Hope never disappoints because God generously pours into our lives during times of suffering through the ministry and the work of the Holy Spirit.
He shows up and does something special in our hearts—He pours out love and perspective; God hones, smooths our rough edges; He enables us to see others in need and relate to them; God helps turn our focus from inward to outward.
Then He uses us to be an instrument of grace, a redemptive force in this world.
Yes, my friends, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, in suffering when hope awakens within, it is because we know God is with us, and working for us.
The process is undeniably hard, but the results far outweigh the pains – Our confidence is unshakeable because we know God will always be there for us.
That Miraculous Experience: His Love Poured Into Us
There is nothing in this world like experiencing the unconditional love of God.
His love extends farther than the width of the skies.
His love goes deeper than the deepest sea.
His love is more powerful than a thousand thousand diesel locomotives at full steam, and it is a trillion times closer than the heartbeat deep within your chest.
Experiencing his love is like becoming new again and again.
With each sweet taste of his affection, the wounds of the past become healed and restored that one no longer regrets pain but rejoices in the opportunity it gives to experience the love of a good and near heavenly Father once again.
Psalm 34:8 GOD’S WORD Translation
8 Taste and see that the [love of the] Lord is good.
Blessed is the person who takes refuge in him.
When we seek to know God we gain experiences with his love because it’s who He is.
1 John 4:8, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
To know love is to know God because every bit of true love comes from him.
1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
Every single day, it’s time for each of us to “believe the love that God has for us.”
It’s time we cease questioning whether we are loved and instead seek the face of our heavenly Father so we might know beyond a shadow of a doubt He loves us.
In my Cardiac Rehabilitation, almost all of my energy goes toward being loved.
I walk now more than I have in twenty years and I now look for love everywhere.
I look for it from my wife, friends, coworkers, acquaintances, my brothers and sisters in Christ, in total strangers in supermarkets and Doctors waiting rooms.
I constantly concern myself with whether I am, moment by moment, loved.
But Jesus came that we might no longer ask ourselves that question.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God already loved us so much that he died for us (Romans 5:8).
Romans 5:8 GOD’S WORD Translation
8 Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.
There’s nothing we have to do to earn his love.
If we need a fresh reminder of it, all we have to do is simply seek his face and love will come as the result – and the majesty of the Lord our God is revealed.
2 Chronicles 7:11-16 GOD’S WORD Translation
The Lord Answers Solomon’s Prayer
11 Solomon finished the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and completed everything he had in mind for the Lord’s temple and his own palace. 12 Then the Lord appeared to him at night. He said to Solomon,
“I have heard your prayer
and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
13 I may shut the sky so that there is no rain,
or command grasshoppers to devour the countryside,
or send an epidemic among my people.
14 However, if my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves,
pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways,
then I will hear ⌞their prayer⌟ from heaven, forgive their sins,
and heal their country.
15 My eyes will be open,
and my ears will pay attention to those prayers at this place.
16 I have chosen and declared this temple holy
so that my name may be placed there forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there.
Psalm 27:8 GOD’S WORD Translation
8 ⌞When you said,⌟
“Seek my face,”
my heart said to you,
“O Lord, I will seek your face.” [a]
We have unlimited access by the grace of God to the love of God.
Unconditional, limitless love awaits us at every turn if our hearts will simply seek His.
Scripture says in Psalm 27:8, “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 GOD’S WORD Translation
11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14 I will let you find me, declares the Lord. I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I’ve scattered you, declares the Lord. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.
May we be children who constantly seek the face of our loving heavenly Father.
May we be a bride wholly wrapped up in the love of our Bridegroom.
And may we experience as the result of simply seeking God the powerful affections of a God who laid down his own life for the sake of his creation.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the love of your heavenly Father. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire to seek God and as a result experience an encounter with his love.
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16
2. Where are you seeking love?
To whom or what are you turning for love other than God?
3. Take time to seek the face of your heavenly Father and encounter His love.
Open your heart to him and simply desire relationship with him.
He will take care of the rest.
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5
“You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’” Psalm 27:8
1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
We have no reason to fear seeking God.
All that He would say to us, do in us, and lead us to comes from a foundation of His perfect love.
There is no reason to fear in this life.
There is nothing here that can separate us from eternal, unbound relationship with our heavenly Father – allow His love to cast out any reservations you have today – to receive an awareness of His perfect love, to rest easy in His kindness.
Further Reflections …
Where are you suffering right now?
Where do you see God “showing up” in this pain?
Reflect on the ways God has poured into your life through the Holy Spirit during times of suffering and pain.
Take a moment to thank Him for walking with you through it.
Father, teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your Holy Spirit lead me on level ground. I see your faithfulness and goodness in what you have done for me throughout my life. I think about these things, and I thirst for you. Let me hear of your unfailing love every morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Keep me on firm footing for the glory of your name. Amen.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 