Paul writes that "... suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." (Romans 5:3-4)
Suffering can lead you down one of two roads. You can go spiraling down that steep, curvy road that passes through anger, self-pity, bitterness and ends up in despair--that is, hopelessness. This, if truth be told, is the path of least resistance when suffering is encountered. It feels like the natural progression. In the classic old story, Job's wife advises him to curse God and die. Given Job's troubles, that seems reasonable. Who would blame him?
The other road, of course, is the one Paul describes. It is a narrow, uphill, rocky road that passes through endurance and character on the way to hope. Even on this road, getting sidetracked for a time on the road that leads to hopelessness is common. Paul knew this personally. But still, the road to hope is the road to life, and it is offered to all of us as a possibility, even in the darkest of circumstances, because of all the benefits God has showered upon us. Paul mentions some of them in these opening verses of Romans 5: Justified by faith, having peace with God, having obtained access to grace, standing in grace, and God's love has been poured into our hearts.
These are the reasons that the gate to the road to hope is open and the road is passable and why hope can be experienced even amid suffering. Granted, sometimes it is a bit of a journey to get there. And the traveling is arduous, without a doubt. But God's presence never leaves us and God's benefits are never exhausted. We can move forward. As a Benedictine nun once advised the writer Kathleen Norris during a dark time: "When you come to a place where you have to go left or right, go straight ahead."
Amen brother.
ReplyDeleteI think that when we encounter suffering in our lives, we are forced to make a decision about what we will become from that point on. We can either wallow in self-pity and become stagnant in our life's journey, or we can decide to use this opportunity to transform ourselves spiritually. And through this challenging and difficult process, God was always with me. To comfort me when I was scared and to guide me when I did not know.
ReplyDeleteIn the scripture verse "... suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." (Romans 5:3-4), I would phrase it a little differently. I would say that in our suffering we can learn about change (transformation) and also compassion for others and for ourselves. And through this transformation, there is always hope.
ReplyDelete