ROMANS 5:3-5
And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
REFLECTION
Wow. What a year I have had! Since last Advent season, my husband — and best friend for close to forty years — moved to Heaven. I had four medical procedures resulting in limited mobility and no driving. My unused car became home to a squirrel (think lots of chewing). Hurricane Helene caused significant damage to my house.
Paul tells us in this passage that enduring hardships, sorrow, and suffering builds character and strengthens our faith. Maybe. I can’t determine whether I am any stronger yet. What I do know is that trust in God’s love and gifts of the Holy Spirit, who sent many friends and church members to help me, are what got me through this year and helped me deal with these situations. God’s love is unending, and God only wants the best for us, even through tough times.
Knowing I’m secure in God’s love kept me going, keeps me going — persevering as Paul states. I consider trials and hardships the hills and mountains of my faith journey and conquering each one with God’s help reinforces the hope for the future that Paul talks about in this passage, and ultimately, hope for salvation. As an old favorite hymn says, “On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
WRITTEN BY
Gail Murchison