Romans 5:1-5
Scripture: Romans 5:1-5 (ESV) “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know 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.”
Devotion: Life can often feel like a stormy sea—waves of trouble and suffering crashing against us, threatening to sink our spirits. Yet, in the midst of these storms, the book of Romans offers us an anchor: hope. But hope is a funny word isn’t it, because it can mean different things. We can hope we pass the test, even though we didn’t study – that’s a weak hope. We can hope we win the lottery, but that’s even more flimsy! The hope Paul describes here isn’t just any hope. It is a sure hope, a true hope, a hope that is rooted not in some wishful thinking about the future, but rather in the deep truths of our faith. It is a hope built on the foundation of the justification we have through Jesus, the peace we now have with God and the grace we experience every day because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us. It is a sure hope!
This passage describes the spiritual conveyor belt process of growing in hope. It starts with suffering. Now, it might seem counterintuitive to “rejoice in our sufferings,” but there’s a divine logic at work here. Suffering, as painful as it is, is the very thing God uses to produce endurance. In turn the endurance is fed into the spiritual machine and it builds character in us. As our character grows, we mirrors Christ more and more closely. And as our character is refined, solid Christian hope is produced. Not wishful thinking based hope, but hope built on the solid reality of God’s love for us, as he has shown to us all throughout this process of refinement.
This hope is a hope that doesn’t disappoint us, because it’s anchored not in our circumstances, which can change like shifting sands, but in the unchanging love of God demonstrated through Jesus Christ.
So if you are going through a difficult time right now, remember if you are a believer, this trail will be redeemed by God and transformed into deep Christian hope. And when you see the result of it, you won’t be disappointed.
Prayer:
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Heavenly Father, in the midst of life’s trials and sufferings, help me to cling to the hope that comes from knowing You. Strengthen my faith, so that through suffering I may develop endurance, through endurance character, and through character a hope that does not disappoint. Thank You for the love You have poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit, reminding me that no matter what I face, I am never alone. May this hope shine as a beacon in my life, drawing others to find peace and hope in You. Amen.
Challenge for the day: Today, when you face challenges or find yourself in moments of suffering, take a moment to reflect on the hope that God offers. How can your current struggles help develop endurance and character in you? Share this perspective of hope with someone who is going through a tough time, encouraging them with the truth that God’s love is with them even in the midst of their trials.