All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
ALL THINGS.
Even the sufferings that we experience, God can use it for good. He can turn a burden into a blessing. He can turn pain into perseverance.
To God be the glory.
Tribulation produces perseverance, which develops experience, which ultimately cultivates hope—and this hope will not disappoint you because God’s love has been poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:3–5).
If I’m honest I’m not feeling overly “hopeful” today. But I thought I’d share a few thoughts from my reading of Romans 5 this morning.
Paul here illustrates hope’s practical power: it emerges through hardship rather than despite it. Hope realigns your perspective so that temporary difficulties become manageable; problems ultimately pass away. When you’re facing difficulty, this reorientation prevents despair from becoming permanent.
Practically, hope motivates righteous action when your flesh grows weary; Paul urged believers not to lose heart in doing good, and hope should fix your eyes on Jesus so you walk in purity as he did. Rather than waiting passively, you actively pursue integrity because you’re anchored to something greater than present circumstances.
Hope then provides something superior to desire, when the world’s temptations appear attractive, hope redirects your longing toward God’s presence, where alone you’ll find the fullness of joy you truly crave.
And this is me speaking to myself — Wes, to put this hope into practice: cultivate Christ-like characteristics and show diligence in service. Hope isn’t passive sentiment but an active anchor that steadies you through life’s storms when you deliberately cling to it.
“We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. . . . But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:8–9
If God used affliction to purify Paul’s faith, shall we expect a less painful method?
There’s a reason this hymn stills the room. Its power lies in the fact that it wasn’t born of comfort, but of unimaginable grief.
In 1873, after losing his young son and his fortune, Horatio Spafford sent his wife and four daughters ahead to Europe. Their ship sank, and only his wife survived.
As Horatio later sailed to reach her, the captain paused the vessel over the spot where his daughters were lost. It was there, amid the waves of his own heartbreak, that he penned the words: “It is well with my soul.”
This timeless declaration of faith is brought to life here by the Zero 8 Chorus. It reminds us that peace isn’t the absence of pain, but a strength that carries us through it.
“. . . to love the Lord your God . . . to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5
Cling.
With all your heart.