Day at the Races: And Down the Stretch They Come! — Friday
Romans 5:3-4
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (NIV)
I remember reading a short story about a college professor who began a lecture by raising a glass of water over his head. After raising the glass of water, he proceeded to ask his class, “How heavy is this glass of water that I am holding?” Students began to shout out different answers ranging from a few grams up to a few pounds. After letting the responses go on for a minute, the professor then responded, “The weight of the glass is irrelevant; it all depends on how long I hold it.” Following his answer, he proceeded to teach his class a lesson on perspective. I read that story and recognized an immediate correlation between perspective and our faith life.
There is a serious misconception in the church that becoming a Christian will remove you from a life of suffering. On the contrary, becoming a Christian will actually introduce you to a greater life of suffering. I know of no other way to interpret Scripture than to acknowledge that Christians are actually expected to experience hardships. Don’t believe me? Try opening your Bible to any page at random, read the first 100 words, and I guarantee you will notice an underlying theme of hardship experienced on this side of Heaven. There is no doubt that we will experience suffering. However, as Christians, we are called to endure suffering through rejoicing. This calling seems counterintuitive to our culture, which tells us to avoid suffering at all costs.
If you’re a logical thinker like me, then you are probably asking something like, “But why do we rejoice?” In our verse today, Paul answers that question pretty bluntly: “Because we know.” We as Christians know that through our suffering, we learn to persevere. When we persevere through suffering, our character is refined and formed to God’s image. Lastly, that God-formed character produces hope. We learn to hope in God’s promises and the eternal good that Jesus guaranteed for us.
If you are going through a hardship and are struggling to rejoice in it, I humbly encourage you to consider a new perspective. And if it feels impossible to see beyond the frustration or pain, pray for the Lord to help you see what He’s doing. This perspective will help you choose to keep going—to persevere and keep the faith—and recognize how God is forming your character. As your character is formed, let hope rejoice! Rejoice in the eternal hope that God provides!
Friday’s Reflection
Wherever you are in your life right now, there is always a reason to rejoice in God’s goodness and faithfulness. Take some time to listen to this song, and share in the joy that only Jesus provides!
