Romans 5 | Rejoicing in the Sufferings

The gospel is so often counter intuitive. Our natural inclination is to pursue our greatest comforts. We plan and strive to put ourselves in better situations than we are currently in. For instance, we go to school so that we can get a degree, so that we can get a good job, so that we can purchase a good home, so that we can provide for our family. Maybe my example is too predictable? But aren't you looking to the horizon to see what you can do to better your situation? We strive after what we believe will be better for us and our loved ones.

The gospel tells, however, us to rejoice in the difficulties of life. It tells us to find contentment in God, regardless of our present situation, and to celebrate the difficulties because they are making us into people fashioned for heaven.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 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 5:3-5).

Now I am not saying that we should pursue persecution. I do not think it wise to chase after hardships. Life has taught me that hardship will seek you out so you need not look for them. What I am saying is that we should expect difficulty, and when it comes, we should be ready to rejoice that God uses hardship to make us better subjects of the Kingdom.

God is so insanely good and wise that He takes the "bad" things of the world and uses them for our good.

Wherever you are at in life, recognize that God is using the present situation to give you perseverance, character, and hope. Do not despise your struggle, rejoice in it. Because through it you are becoming more like Christ.