“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.”
Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)
It is relatively easy to “rejoice” about sufferings if one has always enjoyed the good life; never experienced tragedy; never been ill; and never known the pangs of hunger. However, if the preacher has personally suffered afflictions, necessities, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, mob violence, difficulties, sleepless nights, and hunger; then we might truly take notice when he says: “we rejoice in sufferings.” His rejoicing is no small thing. His rejoicing has special meaning for him. His rejoicing has real substance.
His suffering has taught him perseverance. And, as he persevered something happened to him. He began to grow and develop mentally and emotionally. Maturity began to take hold of him. The reality of his sufferings caused him to grow up quickly. His character was formed. He began to understand that through the sufficiency of God’s grace, he could make it. He decided that through the grace of God, he was stronger than the suffering. He concluded that he should not trust in his ability to overcome the suffering, but to place his trust in the one who raised Christ from the dead. So, he placed his hope in God whose love was given to him, and who promised never to forsake him nor leave him comfortless, but would keep him by the Holy Spirit.
Augustine wrote: “The best disposition for praying is that of being desolate, forsaken, stripped of everything.” It seems to me that suffering brings us to that place of desolation; that sense of forsakenness; a stripping away of every confidence until it produces in the believer a trust in God that can not be defeated. And when we realize that God is our only refuge something marvelous happens. An unexplainable liberty empowers us. Our hope no longer depends on the right techniques or the proper doctrines or a revered theologian’s commentary. Suddenly, our hope takes on a new vista of the promises of God. Our hope is based on nothing less than Christ the solid Rock whose atoning sacrifice and mercy redeemed us. With such a gift of hope, we are provoked to rejoice in our sufferings and celebrate the grace that produces perseverance and character and hope.
Dear Father, thank you for your Son who suffered and died that we might have hope and life. Empower us with the rejoicing perspective and give us perseverance. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today with a rejoicing perspective,