Can we rejoice when we run into problems and trials?
He leads me …
Some people would look at this title and say, ‘I don’t think so. For example, do we yell out ‘Yippee’ when we are running late to work – again - and we know that the boss will be angry?’ Let us see what the apostle Paul said to the Romans about this.
‘And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.’ (Romans 5:3-5 AMP)
A lot of people will read Paul’s comments and think ‘Whatever. I can’t see this working’. Paul said these words despite the fact that his and the other apostles experiences showed that an effective Christian life inevitably has disasters and trials. We do not have to read far into the Book of Acts and the apostles’ letters to see that all the first Christians had suffering. To make a point, Paul says, ‘The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me,’ (Acts 20:23) He also provides a list of how he was persecuted and put under pressure (2 Corinthians 11:24-33). The Bible shows us that there is no such thing as an effective Christian life that is trouble free.
Some of us have been told that, ‘It is not what happens to you, but how you use what happens to you that matters’. Paul would have agreed. He would have probably said, ‘You can become negative and angry about difficult and depressing times, or you can see how God can use these times to make you the Christian He destined you to be.’ If we allow it, good outcomes will come out of hard times (Romans 8:28).
Paul reviews how this happens under four main titles.
1. Sufferings
This is the starting point. Paul does not discuss whether a Christian should experience sufferings. There is no doubt or debate. The Christian life is a hard life.
The word sufferings comes from the Greek word whose root meaning is pressure.
We should not confuse pressure with stress – they are not the same. Used correctly, pressure can be very positive by motivating us to make an extra effort to get a good result. But when it develops into an unmanageable feeling, then stress occurs, and has a completely negative effect.
2. Perseverance
Paul tells us, ‘Suffering produces perseverance’.
Suffering is real – Paul is in no doubt about that – but through our tears and pain, we should be sustained by our hope in God’s promises. We know that He is sovereign over all things and that He truly cares for us. Suffering should encourage perseverance - the ‘can’t let this beat us’ instinct that carries us on through the hardship and heading towards our goal.
3. Character
Paul then says, ‘Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character.’
Paul is thinking of the character we become when we come through tough times. He uses the Greek word dokimē, which means ‘proven character,’ the kind that comes from testing. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reads, ‘So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.’ (MSG)
4. Hope
Paul writes: “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Hope is what keeps us going against all odds when we believe in God’s promises. Paul says it is suffering that produces perseverance, which then produces character, and from our refined character comes hope.
In summary – Paul says, ‘Hope does not put us to shame.’ It does not disappoint. It is hope with a reward.
· We suffer but learn to persevere.
· As we persevere and through many trials and tests our character is formed.
· Out of that godly character comes a hope that completely trusts God for our future.
We look to God. We trust Him. We believe He has good plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), and we are not let down. [1]
In February 2013, Mili Santiago felt hopeless. She had lost her job, her career, her dream home, friends, money, family, and her marriage. She was as low as she could be. One week day, she found an empty church. She went and knelt at the altar, in front of Jesus on the Cross. She then said something like this ‘Lord, I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve tried everything and I’ve lost everything. I give you control of my life. I don’t want to do anything anymore. You take control. Please tell me what to do.’
God responded straight away. Mili said the changes in her life since then have been miraculous. The first thing the Lord taught her was to forgive others, forgive herself, expect only from Him, and replace doubt with faith in Him. The Lord continued to show Mili that she did not have to be perfect, and when failures happen, He is there to hold her and bring her closer to Him. He also showed Mili that she was not to worry, but to believe that He was working in her circumstances no matter what she felt. He then asked Mili to let Him be her only God. And finally He said that He would be in her weaknesses. There He would be her strength.
The result?
1. Her marriage has been restored.
2. She and her husband have a home.
3. They both got their previous jobs back.
4. Relationships have been restored!
5. God gave them everything back and much much more!
6. And the best of all - Mili now has an intimate relationship with Jesus! [2]
Can Mili exult in her future sufferings and rejoice in her hardships? Absolutely. Why? Because God has shown Mili that although she has gone through a lot of suffering, He has been there with her, and He has also reassured her that He will continue to be with her during any future hardships as well.
The same applies to us.
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] The Path To Hope – Romans 5:3-5, Northern Seminary;
https://www.seminary.edu/the-path-to-hope-romans-53-5/
[2] Mili Santiago, Our Daily Bread Ministries;