Romans 5:1-5 Common English Bible
Therefore, we have peace with God
5 Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness,[a] we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3 But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5 This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
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.
Past 2 1/2 years, I’ve been through several seasons of struggle and suffering.
And there’s something I really wrestle with when I am in the thick of it.
It’s a verse and a call to action in the Bible, actually.
That simultaneously perplexes and convicts me.
It’s the odd encouragement to rejoice and be glad in our hurts and hardships. Of course, I want to be filled with joy at all times, regardless of what surrounds me.
To be completely honest, my heart seems to resist finding its way to stepping more purposely, less tentatively, deliberately shifting my outlook from “why bother?” into positive and pleasant perspectives when it’s tossed into turmoil.
Romans 5:3-5 Amplified Bible
3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; 4 and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. 5 Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
One instance the Bible encourages this behavior is in Romans 5:3-5, when it tells us to rejoice when we run into problems. And this frankly can feel like a sharp smack in the face, punch to my solar plexus and adding insult to injury.
We may already be feeling pretty down, and likely far from rejoicing, and then we are being told to rejoice in it!?
Which may knock us further down with self-disappointment.
But, regardless of the joy we may or may not muster in the mud of a problem, I bet we can kind of agree we both want the result referenced at the latter part of the verse, acknowledging, thru Christ we’ll receive endurance from these trials.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 New American Standard Bible
A Thorn in the Flesh
7 Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to [a]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast [b]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in [c]insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Personally speaking, in order to motivate me to seek and see the positive in my difficulties, it helps to understand the benefit of doing so.
It helps to understand the benefit of the promised result.
In this case, sufficient endurance, grace, strength.
And friend, we definitely need all God’s endurance in this life laid out for us.
Nowadays people are too eager to give up in the face of changes or hardships.
People give up on their education, career, marriage, and friends all too easily when things do not go their way. Sadly, people treat spiritual matters similarly.
People leave their church over a minor disagreement.
Others give up on their faith because of socio-economic, political, cultural pressure or overwhelming feeling God does not, will not answer their prayers.
Let us not lose heart.
“Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
A quick Google search defined endurance as “the power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way,” and “the capacity of something to last or to withstand wear and tear.”
And because life is hard, difficult, and unpleasant at times, of course, we need endurance.
The beautiful blessing for us Christians, who lean on the Lord through our problems, is we develop this endurance one season of dependence at a time.
We are increasing our capacity to withstand the wear and tear of life, which we know is inevitable. Meaning our problems are one by one strengthening us.
By the power of God, strengthening our character, strengthening our ability to take on the next trial with more of God’s peace and grace, and his increased patience and love. All the while reflecting more of him into a watchful world.
Do you struggle to see joy in your suffering?
But can you see .01% the value in gaining endurance to continue to withstand the inevitable, unending flow, floods of tribulations and trials in this world?
And isn’t that what we all want?
To be able to better handle what comes our way?
Because we know so much tough stuff will keep coming.
I don’t know about you, but one of my greatest fears is that I won’t be able to handle the hard things on the horizon or that will unexpectedly come my way.
So, if you could assure me the hard thing I’m going through now will allow me to better “find God first!” pray to patiently contend with the things I will face in the future. Finding God first, foremost, isn’t that reason to rejoice? I believe so.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
It certainly isn’t always natural, or even comfortable.
In fact, it can be really hard when you’re walking through a dark valley.
But I believe there is still a good reason to rejoice and praise God for what he is doing through it.
He is the author of all things and has authority over all things surrounding you.
This includes your problems, your trials, and your suffering.
He will use it to strengthen you; he will use your struggles to serve you and serve others.
And though no, it isn’t pleasant to walk through hard things, we can walk those hard paths and valley’s, knowing they will create new strength and goodness.
And that is always something worth rejoicing and thanking God for.
Let this encourage you today when you consider the difficulties swarming around you.
Know that through this very thing, God will bring about the person in you who will better deal with tomorrow’s difficulties.
Opening wide the door to greater ease and peace along the journey of your life.
And we can all figure out why we rejoice and praise God for today and every day.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Psalm 61 New American Standard Bible
Confidence in God’s Protection.
For the music director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.
61 Hear my cry, God;
Give Your attention to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
4 Let me [a]dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
5 For You have heard my vows, God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.
6 You will [b]prolong the king’s [c]life;
His years will be like generations.
7 He will [d]sit enthroned before God forever;
Appoint faithfulness and truth that they may watch over him.
8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may pay my vows day by day.
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). 