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Scripture Reading:
Romans 5:3-5 (Phillips New Testament)
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3 This doesn’t mean, of course, that we have only a hope of future joys — we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles.
4 These very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope,
5 a hope that will never disappoint us. Already we have the love of God flooding through our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.
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Thought for the day:
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William Hendriksen in his commentary of Romans states that the phrase ‘in our sufferings’ means ‘in the midst of and because of’ the tribulations. The question of course is how on earth can we actually have joy because of the suffering we’re experiencing? Can we really say that it’s possible to regard our pain as a blessing from God? Well, I know from experience that it is incredibly difficult to even keep smiling in the tough times, yet alone say that we are rejoicing in them.
I love the Phillips translation of our verses today. ‘We can be full of joy here and now, even in our trials and troubles’. Yes we really can know joy in the depths of difficulties. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says that God’s grace is enough for us and that His power is ‘made complete in weakness’. When we are weak, then we are strong.
Our problems are producing something quite extraordinary in us.
A while ago, I remember a conversation with someone who in relation to another Christian who was going through a tough time said “I would have expected more from him”. As we are growing in Christ, our circumstances are working toward something. They should be causing spiritual growth and maturity. When my children were very small, if they fell and hurt themselves, I would encourage them to come to me so that I could ‘kiss it better’. If they were still doing this as adults then I’m sure that we’d all recognise something seriously wrong! It is not an unfair expectation to see Christians reacting to difficulties in a completely different way to people who have not recognised Jesus as Lord. Christians are not meant to be overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. We have a hope. It is not a fleeting emotional grasp of positive thinking. It is a ‘steady hope’, it is a solid foundation on which our eternal future rests. Christ in us, the hope of glory.
In every problem there is a promise. God has declared that He will never leave us. He will not abandon us. He is producing something in us very, very special. God’s power is being made complete as we endure our sufferings.
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Prayer and Application:
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Through every problem, hold on to the promise of God and watch His power at work. Our pain may be great, but our God is greater!
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