Day 1 - Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
This week in our Advent journey we contemplate hope - an eager expectation of good. Romans 5 reveals to us that hope is the outcome of an emotional process. We don't just start at hope we end up there. That makes sense to me. I am not an optimist! Not only do I see the "glass half empty" but it's also too small and probably cracked! If I am living in hope it's because of Gods work in my heart.
The next few days as the snow whirls outside I want to think through this journey with you. From suffering to hope that does not put us to shame. I "hope" you join me and I "hope" you will be encouraged.
Day 2 - Blessings!
Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Paul says we "glory in sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance". I don't want to be disagreeable, but that is not always true. Suffering only produces perseverance when the one suffering refuses to quit. Yesterday we said "hope is a process" and so it is. Hope is a voluntary process. Each step is taken by choice. There is another option - you could give up. Lots of people do. They get stuck at one stage. I don't blame them. This is not a walk in the park. Once you've learned that you can survive a thing, even if it is unpleasant, leaving that place behind can be intimidating and feel unsafe or even impossible.
Still I want to encourage you to continue moving forward! Suffering is not meant to be without purpose. God does not cause suffering, but he will never leave us alone in it and he will always work to bring something beautiful out of it. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and He will guide you out. THAT is how suffering becomes perseverance.
Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me"
Let's keep walking together toward hope
Day 3 - Advent Hope - Perseverance leads to character
Let's take a few more steps down the pathway to hope found in Romans 5:3-5. We started with suffering. We don't often choose suffering; it comes at us from the world and is outside our control, but our response to suffering IS a choice. The first step we take is perseverance. We choose to keep walking because we believe God is up to something good in the midst of our circumstances. We choose not to give up but to press through in faith.
The Apostle Paul says that the consistent choice to persevere creates character within us. This word is interesting. The Greek word here means "tried and true" or "proven by testing". The more we persevere the more confident we become. We have been through the fire and made it through alive. We can do it again.
It reminds me of the popular worship song that says, "I've seen you move, you moved the mountains, and I believe I'll see you do it again". Each test becomes a testimony, and each mess becomes a message.
We don't have to rely on our own experience here either. We have generations of the faithful who have gone before us. Their stories and their examples testify to God's faithfulness if we have the wisdom to hear.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
This week in our Advent journey we contemplate hope - an eager expectation of good. Romans 5 reveals to us that hope is the outcome of an emotional process. We don't just start at hope we end up there. That makes sense to me. I am not an optimist! Not only do I see the "glass half empty" but it's also too small and probably cracked! If I am living in hope it's because of Gods work in my heart.
The next few days as the snow whirls outside I want to think through this journey with you. From suffering to hope that does not put us to shame. I "hope" you join me and I "hope" you will be encouraged.
Day 2 - Blessings!
Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Paul says we "glory in sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance". I don't want to be disagreeable, but that is not always true. Suffering only produces perseverance when the one suffering refuses to quit. Yesterday we said "hope is a process" and so it is. Hope is a voluntary process. Each step is taken by choice. There is another option - you could give up. Lots of people do. They get stuck at one stage. I don't blame them. This is not a walk in the park. Once you've learned that you can survive a thing, even if it is unpleasant, leaving that place behind can be intimidating and feel unsafe or even impossible.
Still I want to encourage you to continue moving forward! Suffering is not meant to be without purpose. God does not cause suffering, but he will never leave us alone in it and he will always work to bring something beautiful out of it. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and He will guide you out. THAT is how suffering becomes perseverance.
Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me"
Let's keep walking together toward hope
Day 3 - Advent Hope - Perseverance leads to character
Let's take a few more steps down the pathway to hope found in Romans 5:3-5. We started with suffering. We don't often choose suffering; it comes at us from the world and is outside our control, but our response to suffering IS a choice. The first step we take is perseverance. We choose to keep walking because we believe God is up to something good in the midst of our circumstances. We choose not to give up but to press through in faith.
The Apostle Paul says that the consistent choice to persevere creates character within us. This word is interesting. The Greek word here means "tried and true" or "proven by testing". The more we persevere the more confident we become. We have been through the fire and made it through alive. We can do it again.
It reminds me of the popular worship song that says, "I've seen you move, you moved the mountains, and I believe I'll see you do it again". Each test becomes a testimony, and each mess becomes a message.
We don't have to rely on our own experience here either. We have generations of the faithful who have gone before us. Their stories and their examples testify to God's faithfulness if we have the wisdom to hear.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.