Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given us. Romans 5:1-5 (emphasis mine)
Did you just read that? Gosh, I feel like I could read it a thousand times and it still would be powerful, if not more powerful, than the time before that. We (as believers) have been justified by faith. We have peace with God through Jesus. WHAT. Now we stand in this grace, and rejoice in the hope of His glory.
"More than that.." I asked myself the other day, how could I rejoice in something more than rejoicing in the hope of God's glory? It just doesn't seem possible. But, we are called to rejoice even more so in our sufferings. Sufferings? The times when it's hardest to rejoice. The time when the doctor says there's nothing else he can do, the time when you're going through a season God is putting you through to discipline you, the time when your family rejects you for what you believe, etc..We are called to rejoice! I don't know if you think that's difficult or not, but from personal experience, it can only happen through trusting in His grace and the hope He offers.
"What JOY, what JOY for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord. What peace, what peace for those whose confidence is Him alone."
Trusting God's word that says this hope doesn't disappoint because God has poured His love into us through His Holy Spirit.
Snap.
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