Start with Faith

We have to go through some stuff to get to hope but it will come if we just hang in there 

Romans 5: 1-5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 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 

It all starts with faith in the verse above. With faith comes peace through Jesus Christ until we are literally standing in grace. Now, I’m from the country and I grew up on a pig farm and I’ve stood in a lot of stuff but never grace. I don’t know what that looks like but it sounds awesome.

In fact, it is so good that we literally boast about our sufferings because they end in hope. We’ve all had more than a few moments of suffering and my guess is many of them didn’t end in hope but that’s what is possible with endurance.

Paul wraps up these verses with the proclamation that the love filling our hearts from God is possible because of the gift we’ve been given: the Holy Spirit. These are some of the most hopeful words we could imagine. So how can we be down? Maybe it’s all too good to be true?

With all the peace and faith and hope and character and love flying around, how come none of it sticks to us sometimes? Well, we’re flawed, sometimes deeply. Sometimes our faith is shaken because the suffering does come and we find it hard to have that suffering produce endurance. Suffering and endurance, more than a “mud run” or marathon, don’t always pass in a couple hours or so. Sometimes those suckers stick around for days, weeks, even months. It can be tough to see how God fills us with love because of something called the Holy Spirit. We feel more like we’re alone wishing for some kind of tangible gift to pull us through.

The fact is, as the passage begins, it’s faith that is our cornerstone. With our faith we know that though the storms come, we have hope. Though the suffering comes, and stays, and stays, we are not forsaken. Remember these words and call on our savior and our father. Hope will come.

Think back to the last time you felt hopeless. How’d you get through it? If you looked for help was God part of that search? Did God reach you through someone? I’ll bet others would like to hear your story if you would be willing to comment below.

Do you know someone suffering who is trying to endure? If you think this might encourage them, please share it. We have the social icons below to help with that. 

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