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Writer's pictureTravis Yonkman

Christian Hope – The Result of Suffering

Romans 5:3-5

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”


Reflection:

Christian, as you awake today to the same pain, as the day ahead threatens new sorrow, remember this: your suffering, which is only allowed in your life by your loving heavenly Father, gives you endurance that results in hope.


You do not learn endurance by lounging all day long in the bed of luxury, never striving, never straining, never pushing. Christian, God who cares deeply for you helps you learn endurance through the suffering in your life. He is leading you to get up, to get ready for the fight, to strap on armor and pick up sword and shield so that, in the fight, not only might you gain knowledge and strength, but you might also pray and depend on God, knowing how urgently you need Him every moment. What is the result of such a fight? The result is hope. The result is knowledge that God is with you, that you fight in His strength, that you will surely win the day because He who began a good work in you will surely bring it to completion.


I know that you would prefer to avoid the suffering ahead. No one wants the suffering. But God, who loves you, does not want you to simply lie around without strain and also without hope. He would rather fill you with hope as He helps you through the battle ahead so that your heart abounds to overflowing with hope. He would rather have you courageously and joyfully hacking at the enemy and pressing forward into victory than languishing in ease without any hope. Do not fear the struggle ahead today. It will not last forever. Look not only to your enemy with trembling; look to your almighty Savior with reverence and joy. God, who is able to do all He wills, shall be with you every step of the way. Place your hope in Him.


In Christ,


Pastor Yonkman

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