Hope in Suffering

“…And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know 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 us through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5 (NIV)
 
     Thank you everyone for all your prayers and encouragement. Your love and prayers have covered us during a difficult time. Praise God for how each day, He is continuing to restore and make new. He is knitting me back together into what I pray is a stronger, more refined vessel for Jesus.

     Even my devastated husband experienced the God of Hope when he needed it most. It came in the form of a co-worker who is also a fellow believer. God had gone before my husband and placed this fervent Christ follower into his path several months prior. Let us just say, God orchestrated the perfect time, day, and place for the two to pray the roof down. Over lunch, they lay down their burdens and interceded for each other, their families, and the overall body of believers. It mattered not who heard, saw, or stopped to listen. What mattered was how God’s hand reached down to my husband and ministered to him through the body of Christ. This tangible display of God’s sovereign hand encouraged my husband and gave Hope in a way nothing else would have done. All I can say is, “Hallelujah!”

     This morning, As I left the gym, a trainer who had born witness of my sufferings, stopped me.
     “You’re a bubble of joy, Miss Marje,” he said with a smile. I glowed back,
     “I’ve come through the hard part.” And praise God, I have! As many of you read last week, God delivered me from the grips of my suffering through the power of the Holy Spirit and the promise of His Word.

     But as I left, conscience nibbled. For in truth, it was God who had brought me through my trial, not me. Left to myself, I would have shattered. But it was the God of Hope who strengthened me amidst sufferings to persevere. It was He who, in my weakness, who gave me the courage to trust. He flooded me with a deep abiding and unexplainable joy and peace during a time of testing to prove God true. This is the power of Hope through the Holy Spirit which is grounded in the unshakeable trust in Jesus Christ.

     Suffering has a way of making or breaking us. During the height of my crisis, I truly thought I would splinter into a million pieces. At times, I could only scream, “Jesus! Jesus!” But as I desperately clutched at the shreds, God held me together. At each turn, He provided encouragement through the prayers of friends. And when I needed it most, He infused Hope.

     Hope is powerful. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit which infuses heart, soul, mind, and body. Hope in Christ is a lifeline on which to cling. For me, it gave the courage to persevere and keep going. It filled me with an unshakeable assurance of God’s promises and trust in Jesus which transcended all worries and anxieties.

     For many of us, it is difficult to understand how suffering leads to hope. But it can. And it does. Suffering can produce an enduring spirit as we persevere through trials. Yet as we persevere, the character of God is proven which firms and shapes our trust. What remains is proven and honed through adversity which rests solely upon the Hope of Christ.

     Yet, let me assure you, nothing goes to waste. Not even suffering. It shapes and refines us into diamonds. It breaks the rough, extraneous edges to leave us sharpened and stronger for Jesus. For me, strongholds were laid waste, faulty patterns reset, and a stronger Cornerstone rebuilt. God is continuing to redeem time, restore order, and reveal new focus. For this I praise God! For this I will boast and say Hallelujah!
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     Dear friends and fellow parents or grandparents, be encouraged to persevere. Know God is with you, even in the darkest shadows. His love is so great for you, it pours out in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. And as we persevere through the storm, hold tight to Jesus. For He will never let you go. He will be proved faithful and true. And as we are tested and refined, we have every confidence that the God of Hope will fill us with all joy and peace because we know we can trust in Him. Amen and amen.
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​Tasha Layton // Look What You've Done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPWHJC7PyYY