14 day plan

The Discipline of Suffering: Redeeming Our Stories

Day 10 of 14

NIV

Romans 5:3-5

3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And 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.

Reflection:  I can remember doing a course about spiritual gifts. After several weeks of reflecting on my personality, faith journey, natural talent and spiritual gifts, one of the things that I leapt out of all my scribbling and question answering was my tendency to keep going no matter how hard things got in my life. You would think I would be happy to learn this about myself, but I wasn’t. I actually felt annoyed because it reminded me of what I had gone through and how hard it was to keep going. And if perseverance was somehow a special skill, what was I meant to do with it?

So, what is it that creates perseverance in a person? Positive psychology tells us that natural ability is not enough to succeed in life. We need to put in effort. Talent plus effort develops skill. If we then put more effort into developing this skill, we will eventually end up achieving something.

Talent x effort = skill                                                        Skill x effort = achievement

It is curious that Paul had already worked this out. He saw suffering as a good thing because it forces us to develop perseverance and character and hope.

(Suffering + faith) x perseverance = character                      Character x perseverance = hope

The conclusion I have drawn therefore, is that my perseverance is of value, because when it is paired with a trust in Christ, it changes us profoundly. We are not abandoned in the futility of our situation. Instead, we find hope in the risen Christ and are transformed by our experience.

Prayer:  Lord God, pour out your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit. I want to persevere through the hard things in my life, so that you can transform my character and make it more like yours. Fill me with hope so I can face today with courage. Amen.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

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4
5
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7
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10
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14

Romans 5:1-21

Peace and Hope

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And 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.

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.