Don't Lose Heart!

"I consider that our present sufferings
are not worth comparing with the glory
that will be revealed in us."
Romans 8:18

Pain wracked her body as contractions seized the uterus holding her baby who was eager to enter the world.  Beads of sweat formed on the mother's forehead as she strained to push her child out of her womb and into the hands of her husband.  As joyous an event as is the birth of a child, it is also painful due to the curse of sin.

When God created the earth and everything in it, He "saw all that he had made, and it was very good."  (Genesis 1:31)  Once Adam and Eve disobeyed the one rule God had instituted, however, sin entered in and all was spoiled.  Where once fruit grew abundantly, now it required hard labor to fend off the onslaught of weeds.  What once was a life of peace and harmony now was rife with shame and discord.  The place that was created to bring nothing but joy was now a source of great suffering.

Sin ruined the goodness of God's creation.  Instead of living the way God intended, now we can expect to endure agony of some kind.  Thankfully, though, our present difficulties are not without purpose.

Future Glory

Soldiers know a little something about sacrifice.  Men and women serving in all branches of the Armed Forces give up the comforts of home, leaving the love and security of their families so they can travel to hostile areas where they engage our enemies in all kinds of dangerous situations.  They don't willingly live this lifestyle for the money, prestige or honor, because soldiers usually receive little of any of those benefits.  Instead, they serve out of love for their country and with the hope that their efforts will help usher in a brighter tomorrow.

In the same way, the hard times I go through by living in this fallen world are not in vain.  As the Apostle Paul said, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT)

The good I have to look forward to when things will again be as they should exist, can serve to spur me on and inspire me to persevere through hard times.

I will share in much praise and glory and honor when Jesus returns if I remain strong in my faith through the trials I now face.  (1 Peter 1:7b)

Hope of Salvation

I remember when I faced four months in the hospital.  I was pregnant with triplets and my uterus had begun to contract, making it impossible for me to stay at home.  While I lay in the hospital bed at 24 weeks gestation, the only thing that kept me going was the thought of the birth of healthy babies.  The hope of going home spurred me on through the difficulty of long-term hospital life.

As a follower of Christ, I have a similar hope of going home.  Jesus said as recorded in John 14:3 that, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you."  When times get tough, I can think of all the good things Jesus is storing up for me in my eternal home, thus giving me hope.

I find much inspiration in the words of Paul when he encouraged believers to, "let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.  For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.  Christ died for us so that , whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever."  (1 Thessalonians 5:8-10)

Jesus saved us from what we deserve so we can enjoy eternity with Him.  This is the kind of hope that can get me through the present pain of a broken body, the heartache of marital turmoil, or the sting of the loss of a loved one.  

Life is hard, but I have a lot to look forward to in Christ.

Intercession of the Spirit

"I don't know what to think."  This is often my response when I hear bad news.  It's hard to process tragedy, misfortune or heartbreak, leaving me feeling as if I don't know which way is up.  Thankfully, God knows my heart and mind and He understands why I act and feel the way I do.  

God knows me better than I know myself for He "examine(s) the deepest thoughts and secrets." (Jeremiah 11:20)  He knows what I'm going to say before I utter a word, and He understands all my little quirky ways. (Psalm 139:1-4)  

When I'm going through tribulation, my heart is troubled and my mind is like mush.  I can't form a complete, coherent sentence let alone utter a prayer to God.  Since God is so familiar with me, His Spirit can pray for what I need on my behalf. (Romans 8:26-27)  In this way, good comes out of the bad.

When I don't have enough money to pay the bills or buy groceries, the Spirit prays for a better understanding of poverty, giving me a greater sense of compassion for those who are suffering from hardship.

When I hurt so bad I can't get out of bed in the morning, the Spirit asks for an open heart with which I can use the extra time to thank Him for all the good He has given to me.

When I suffer the loss of a loved one, the Spirit calls upon the Father for the comfort that only He can give.

I can count on suffering while I live on earth but also on the Spirit of God to intercede with "groanings that cannot be expressed in words." (Romans 8:26b NLT)

The earth is not as God first created it to exist, but while I'm living here, I can remain strong by remembering the glory that I will share with Christ, the hope of salvation that He gives, and experience the way the Holy Spirit prays on my behalf.  Then, when hard times come, I will not lose heart!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand strong in the faith Jesus has given to me.

When do I forget what I have to look forward to in eternity and how can that spur me on?

How do I let suffering get me down?