Scripture
Our verse for today comes from Romans 5:3-4, ” And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope. “
Background
When I used to work for a moving company, I got injured on one of our jobs. We were closing up the truck from making our delivery, and the final piece of equipment to put away was the walk board. This walk board was a long fiberglass board, that because of its weight, was actually two boards that connected down the middle. As we went to set it down, the guy who was helping me dropped his end before I was ready, and it landed directly on my big toe. Immediately I let out a blood-curdling scream and began hopping on one foot across the entire parking lot. For what seemed like forever, my toe throbbed with excruciating pain, and I still had to ride back to the office and then drive myself home. Now, I have had over 19,000 nights of sleep in my life so far. But without a doubt, that night’s sleep was the worst of them all. I tried to sleep kneeling on the den floor, with my head resting on the couch, and my foot elevated behind me. It was pointless. But that next morning, I went to the doctor, and everything changed. When he took his scalpel and slit open the end of my toe, the blood splattered all over his doctor’s coat and covered the walls across the office. But the relief was instantaneous. The pressure was gone. I had been delivered.
Application
In the verses preceding today’s, Paul rejoices in the peace and grace and hope of God’s glory. But now he says to glory in tribulations, the very pressures that come from following this Jesus of hope and grace. So to do that, we need to know that God is working directly through that tribulation. Instead of the situation raising doubt in God’s plan, the difficulty is a direct evidence that He is shaping you. And when we decide to persevere, we develop a proven character in Christ that hopes where disappointment might otherwise reign. The trials are usually unpleasant, but when we believe they are a part of our perfect journey, then hope is the only possible destination.
Charge
As we seek Him today, choose to persevere through the power of the Holy Spirit, and look at your situation with a renewed and deepened hope.
Rich Holt / Originally Published on : BCWorldview.org
Also published on : Medium.com.
