Trials

Romans 5: 1-5  - 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. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

I love the way Paul explains how our new faith in Christ produces a mature person….able to see past the separate details of life….the good things and the bad.  The person who has truly asked God to live in his heart has been given the Holy Spirit…and even learns through every trial that the hope we have in God is not changeable.  No matter what happens…he is there to hold our hand…and teach us the full meaning of hope.

Paul knew well what he was talking about.  He had suffered much from preaching the truth of Christ…so this letter to the Church at Rome contains Paul’s heart…not just some random teaching.  Paul used his faith to cling to God in his suffering and that faith in God produced perseverance.  As he continued to believe and be tested trip after trip God built character in Paul that was amazing. It was this combination of faith, perseverance, and character that gave Paul hope…the hope in Christ that we all share…the reward of heaven when we have completed our work here on Earth.

These verses promise me the same thing….if I would but see my trials and sufferings as teaching tools of God.  He is trying to produce in me perseverance….character….and hope.  Perseverance….to remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement.  Character….our ability to reflect the true image of God.  Hope…an unwavering expectation of the love of God.

Lord…thank you for justifying me through your son’s death on the cross.  Forgive me for not telling you more often just how much your love means to me.  I pray this morning that you would help me to stop and think about these verses the next time I am faced with hardship.  I pray you would help me think more like Paul and see these times as your teaching tools to make me more like you. Amen.