Suffering...?
Tonight, I was looking through my Bible at some of the sections I have highlighted and such, and I came acrossed a chapter in the Bible that has to be now one of my most favorite. One that is by far the most comforting chapters that I have ever read, Romans chapter 5. I have yet to find another place where there is an entire chapter that offers such comfort as Romans 5, and the best part is, it just screams Gospel.
The part that I like most is the first part, verses 1-5. Let me post those for you:
"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,...
Suffering so often feels like something that is tearing us down, bringing us to our knees. We get feelings like we can't take anymore, that the burden we carry is too much and we can't carry it any longer. But actually, suffering is building us, it's building perseverance, it's building character, and it's offers a time for hope. That hope is the faith we have in Jesus. God poured out His love for us by giving us Jesus. Allow me to bore you for a moment. I visited my friends at Encarta Dictionary and Dictionary.com, and found the following definitions for you to better understand where this verse is coming from.
Perseverance: determined continuation with something: steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks.
Character: Moral or ethical strength. Distinctive qualities: the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody’s qualities of mind and feeling.
Hope: To look forward to with confidence or expectation. Also, to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
I know that was probably boring to read those, but I wanted you to see what those definitions are. And I want also to paraphrase them slightly to take the most important parts from them. With perseverance, it's so much the determined continuation through something, that is, become determined that you will make it through your suffering, but don't lose faith or you won't be able to persevere, because it won't be by your own strength. In character, the moral and ethical strength part is the part that is most important because with that, you can fend off things that are bad for you and that can cut you down more. Also, your character is what is distinctive to you, what people see in you, with the perseverance through suffering you will have the strong character. With Hope, all things are possible. And in those times of trouble, we can look ahead with expectation and confidence that we will be delivered and set free, and it also does not come without faith.
So, in your times of deep despair, suffering, heartache, pain, and other problems, persevere, build character, have hope, and above all, have faith in the love and compassion of Jesus. Let me leave you with this verse:
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5: 8
God's Blessings, especially in your time of suffering,
Adam
The part that I like most is the first part, verses 1-5. Let me post those for you:
"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...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 5:1-5
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope...
Suffering so often feels like something that is tearing us down, bringing us to our knees. We get feelings like we can't take anymore, that the burden we carry is too much and we can't carry it any longer. But actually, suffering is building us, it's building perseverance, it's building character, and it's offers a time for hope. That hope is the faith we have in Jesus. God poured out His love for us by giving us Jesus. Allow me to bore you for a moment. I visited my friends at Encarta Dictionary and Dictionary.com, and found the following definitions for you to better understand where this verse is coming from.
Perseverance: determined continuation with something: steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks.
Character: Moral or ethical strength. Distinctive qualities: the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody’s qualities of mind and feeling.
Hope: To look forward to with confidence or expectation. Also, to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
I know that was probably boring to read those, but I wanted you to see what those definitions are. And I want also to paraphrase them slightly to take the most important parts from them. With perseverance, it's so much the determined continuation through something, that is, become determined that you will make it through your suffering, but don't lose faith or you won't be able to persevere, because it won't be by your own strength. In character, the moral and ethical strength part is the part that is most important because with that, you can fend off things that are bad for you and that can cut you down more. Also, your character is what is distinctive to you, what people see in you, with the perseverance through suffering you will have the strong character. With Hope, all things are possible. And in those times of trouble, we can look ahead with expectation and confidence that we will be delivered and set free, and it also does not come without faith.
So, in your times of deep despair, suffering, heartache, pain, and other problems, persevere, build character, have hope, and above all, have faith in the love and compassion of Jesus. Let me leave you with this verse:
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5: 8
God's Blessings, especially in your time of suffering,
Adam
posted by Adam | 7:00 PM
1 Comments:
Perserverance, character, and hope are all great things that everyone wants more of in their life. Remember, though, that these are built through SUFFERING. Therefore, we REJOICE in our SUFFERINGS...which is probably why Paul was able to write "Rejoice in the Lord always...again I say rejoice" (Phil. 4:4) while he was IN PRISON!
As each of us struggles through his or her own sufferings, we need to rejoice because this is the fire that is tempering and purifying us for God's work.
As a side note, I share this EXACT Scripture with the young men who come here to become Infantrymen. I use it as a warning and a motivator.
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