And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” vss. 3-4
Romans 5:1-5
Paul was indomitable! While he obviously enjoyed the peace of heart and mind that were a by-product of faith in Christ Jesus, he also rejoiced in his sufferings. It wasn’t that he was a masochist, but he had come to know that suffering is a part of life, and that it can’t be avoided. While we might acknowledge that Paul is right in saying that suffering is inevitable, most of us have a dickens of a time trying to embrace it. In fact, because we’ve grown accustomed to comfort in living, we’ll do everything we can to avoid suffering. All kinds of remedies are available to us–pills, therapy, alcohol–but the most popular is simple denial. We bury our feelings, put on a happy face, and act as though our hearts are not breaking. How much better it is when we can learn to imitate Paul in openly acknowledging our pain and letting folks know that we’re hurting. With that first step, we discover the gift of endurance and a resulting strength of character that we never dreamed possible. We become trusted and reliable friends to others who might be in need, and one day discover that our hope has been restored and joy has returned to our hearts. And at this point, smiles become genuine and we once more have peace of mind.
Thought for the Day: How do I respond to suffering?
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