Emphatic Hope

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5  (NIV)

Hope is one of those words that fills my heart.  Hope is different than a wish.  Hope comes with a level of confidence.  For instance, I wish I would win the lottery.  Knowing the odds are not in my favor, I hope that whoever does will be generous with the money.  I have a level of confidence with the second statement than I do with the first.  Hope can be powerful.

Hope can show up in many different situations.  We certainly hope to feel better when we get sick.  Yet, when situations cry for something deeper, it moves to a more emphatic hope, the type of hope that we see in our verses today.  There is much suffering that comes with the hope we have here. 

It's the hope that a prisoner of war may have.  Going through such suffering, yet doesn't give up - they persevere.  Through that perseverance, their character is built.  With that level of character, there is hope - hope that they will once again see their families.  With all of that comes a strengthening of faith.  A man who emulates this profoundly was Senator John McCain.  He was a man who lived out the verses above to its fullest.  His quiet yet profound faith in God walked him through all the stages of suffering, perseverance, character and hope.  Through that faith, he continued to serve our country.  His emphatic hope was rooted in knowing that God's love was in him. 

I am certain we all know people who have this level of emphatic hope.  Maybe they served our country and had other challenges.  Maybe one who suffered greatly with surgery or cancer.  Maybe one who struggled growing up with relational issues.  Maybe one who made poor choices and suffered greatly for them.  Yet with a strong faith in God and knowing how much God loves them, they continued on a journey of emphatic hope.  This hope is knowing, confidently and profoundly that God will be there with us and bring us to the path that we are intended to be on.  

Emphatic hope is not something we can have on our own - it comes with the love of God through the Holy Spirit.  It provides us the reassurance that "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' love and righteousness."  As we end this study of Romans 5, I am quite certain that we have, and will continue to have, times of suffering.  When those times come our way, may we settle a little deeper into Jesus' love and word.  Through those things we will move through perseverance, our character in Christ will become stronger and we will have the emphatic hope that we will succeed in Him. 

Heavenly Father, may we put our emphatic hope in you, knowing that you love us so much and will guide us to our intended path.  Our journey through life will not always be easy.  May you hold us close to you during times of suffering and despair.  Let us fill our lives with you and the hope that only YOU can bring.  In your name we pray.  Amen.

Character in Christ

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5  (NIV)

Hard Work Builds Character!  This is a statement we hear often, especially if we are enduring something difficult that takes time and patience.  I'm sure each one of us can reflect upon a time when we worked hard on something - school, work, relationships, etc - and realized that we came out on the "other end" of the hard work with a greater level of appreciation of the hard work we endured.

In our verses of study, though, we are looking at building character through a different lens.  In this case, we didn't actually "pursue" the hard work for anything specific (school, work, etc.), we are in the middle of suffering.  I find it very hard during difficult and trying times, to look at the end, how it will be positive in the end.  

• While going through weeks of chemo, it was hard to envision not getting sick, hard to believe my hair would grow back, hard to think I would EVER feel strong again.
• While walking through the grief of losing a parent, did I ever believe the ache in my heart would ever be gone?
• In the days of unkind words and frustration of a divorce, was love ever going to be in the cards for me?

In walks character in Christ.  Relying on our own ways and means to walk through suffering, results can be difficult.  Hard times and suffering can produce anger, bitterness, frustration and a general attitude in life that is skewed towards the negative.  Have you ever met people such as that?  So much suffering has happened TO them that they can't see anything but negativity.  In walks our Jesus!

Building a character in Christ is knowing, deep in our souls, that our ability to move forward out of the darkness and into the light relies solely on ONE person - Jesus.  By giving our suffering to Him, we can continue to walk forward to the other side of heartache and not drown in sorrow.  Why does our mental, physical and emotional state change with this one differentiator?  Because we know that there was one who suffered far more than we could ever suffer, one that persevered farther than we ever could and has the character that we long to have - Jesus!  

When we rely on our Jesus during times of suffering, we can see past ourselves and look at what needs to be done to succeed.  Such greatness and power comes in the fact that God loves us and when we go to him with our suffering, he is there to receive us and build us up, not tear us down.   The greater the struggle, the greater the building.  There is strength in this knowledge and we then want to show gratitude, we want to be more like Jesus - grow in his word and his deeds for the good of Him!!  Now is the time, sisters and brothers.  If your suffering is weighing you down and you don't know where to turn, know that your strength and resolve is in front of you - in Jesus.  Open up His Word and lay down your weight on his shoulders.  He is ready to build you up in character!!!

Abba Father, I am ready to be built up.  I want a character that is rich in you and I want to better see the path to that wonder.  Although my life may be full of suffering, I ask for perseverance and an opportunity to build my character to be closer to you.  By not dwelling inward but focusing upward, I know I can feel your love.  Thank you Jesus.  Amen!

Persevering Mamas

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5  (NIV)

There are many reasons that Romans 5: 3-5 has become my mantra.

• Timing - these verses came to light when I was in my darkest valley.  
• Bold words - I have come to fully embrace words like suffering, perseverance, character and hope as words that are always held close to my heart, bringing full understanding.
• Visual - the words that God gives in this passage I can truly see.  When I read this verse, I see the suffering, perseverance, character and hope of the one who died for ME.
• Grace - in the end, it is God's love that brings all of these words together for truth.

This week, as I reflect on Mother's Day and my own Mom, the word that will always come to light is the word PERSEVERANCE.  If there is one person in my life that has always persevered, it has been Mom.  I have watched that perseverance through her own suffering, whether it was physical or emotional.  When life was difficult with my dad's illnesses, Mom didn't let that stop her from ensuring everyone - not just Daddy - was taken care of.  When life turned to her own illnesses, once again, her ability to persevere - moving forward despite difficulty or suffering - was seen in every thing she did.  Mom has never let her challenges define who she is.  She has always let God and his grace define her, which is why I couldn't have asked for a better spiritual mentor than Mom.  Thanks so much Mommy!!

As I reflect on times in my life that were tough, these verses have always been with me, showing me and guiding me that with God, I can rise out of the darkness and into the light.  Suffering can certainly bring us to a fork in the road.  Instead of going left or right, I see it as either going out or in.  I can either retreat into myself and wallow in self pity and despair, or I can go out and seek God, who will bring me out of the suffering and into a level of moving forward despite suffering - perseverance.

I have had the honor to meet many mamas who have persevered throughout their lives.  Whether it was a challenging marriage, challenging children, challenging circumstances, or a challenging spirit, I have watched these women move from the suffering that they were enduring and knew that there was only one way out - perseverance.  I thank God for these shining examples of not only what it is like to keep going, but to do so with love in their hearts.

Today, as we celebrate mothers, I thank all of you who may read this.  Know that the most important one to see all that you do every day is God.  God knows the challenges you face as you put that foot out of the bed in the morning and He is with you every step thereafter.  Persevere Mama!  There is strength within you that is given to you by God.  Feel that strength!!

Dearest Father, thank you for providing perseverance and strength to us.  The boldness that we gather as we move through suffering helps us to appreciate the journey we are on.  Please continue to bless us with the courage to go to You always and live in your light.  In your gracious name I pray, Amen~~

Glory in Suffering

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5  (NIV)

"I've got this!"  Those words rang through my mind.  Well, if we are being honest, those weren't the FIRST words that rang through my mind.  It was more like, "Maybe they are wrong."  When the doctor said, "You have cancer," my initial thoughts were filled with "maybe" statements versus the "I've got this" statement.  I had taken the glass-half-full philosophy throughout all the testing and the biopsy.  Once I wrapped my head around the words they had shared, and had my moment of tears, I decided it was about moving forward.  Those positive days were short-lived.

The optimism that I promised myself I would have and would share with others turned into difficult thoughts and difficult days.  The "what if" thoughts ran through my mind and optimism was overshadowed with despair.  As I reflect upon that time and the feelings I had, the negative seemed to build up even greater when I added on top of it a failing marriage and a daddy who went to be with Jesus.  The suffering seemed insurmountable.

The weight that was on my shoulders, and my heart, came to a crossroads one day when I didn't think I could go on.  Did you see the most important pronoun in that sentence - "I"?  The time had come for me to go to the foot of the cross.  That is what I literally did.  I went to church on a weekday while nobody was in the sanctuary and I sat at the cross and told Jesus I knew He was bigger than me, stronger than me, greater than me, and that I couldn't do it anymore.  It was then that Jesus said, "I've got this"!  My friends, when Jesus says those words versus when I say those words, that's when there is glory!!

Throughout the years since then, when tough times have come upon me, I have realized that it is then that we should glorify God the most!  Yes, it's always good to share the glory of God, but when life seems to be getting the best of us, take a step back to realize that we have a God who is there fighting with us, standing right there on our most difficult days, to let us know we are not alone.  We have a heavenly Father who can say, "I've got this" with far greater confidence than we have.

Trials and tribulations can overcome us.  Some days, those sufferings are not ours but are those of people we hold close.  Medical conditions, addictions, failing relationships, and depression are just a few of the many sufferings we may be dealing with either ourselves or with those around us.  It can be just as hard watching a loved one go through difficult times as it is to endure them ourselves.  Yet, let us remember to give glory to God - especially in times of suffering and difficulty.  It is in these difficult situations that we find God's strength, that we find our reliance on the Holy One, and that we find out that growth to a better tomorrow can happen when we glorify the one who brings hope.  These sweet verses have become my mantra over the years to pull me up and keep me going - to bring me the hope I need during tough times.  I pray they do the same for you.

Heavenly Father, when we glorify you in our sufferings, we know then that we are not alone.  We have you on our side saying, "I've got this" when we know we can't handle it.  Our prayers and praises need to ring out so we can shout with thanksgiving that our God can bring us the hope of salvation.  Thank you God!!  Amen~