Freedom Calls

As children of the one true God, we are not immune to suffering. However, as believers saved by the grace and faith in Jesus Christ, we have a unique perspective on suffering that sets us apart from the world.

In Romans 5:3-5, the apostle Paul writes, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that 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 our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (NIV)

In this passage, Paul highlights the transformative power of suffering in the life of a believer. Suffering is not something to be avoided or feared, but rather it is an opportunity for growth and development in our faith.

As Charles Spurgeon so eloquently put it, “The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.” (Spurgeon, “The Treasury of David”)

Suffering produces perseverance, which is the ability to endure hardships and difficulties without giving up. Perseverance is a vital quality for believers, as it enables us to remain steadfast in our faith even in the face of adversity.

As AW Tozer wrote, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” (Tozer, “The Pursuit of God”)

Perseverance, in turn, produces character. Character refers to the moral and spiritual qualities that define who we are as believers. It is the sum total of our values, attitudes, and behaviors that reflect the image of Christ in us.

As Watchman Nee observed, “The more we are willing to suffer, the more we will know the resurrection life of the Lord Jesus.” (Nee, “The Normal Christian Life”)

Finally, character produces hope. Hope is the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises and bring us through difficult times.

It is the anchor of our souls that keeps us grounded and focused on the future. As DL Moody said,

“Hope is the anticipation of something good, and it is the anchor that holds the soul fast.” (Moody, “The Way to God”)

But what is the source of this hope? Paul tells us that it is God’s love that has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. This love is not just a feeling or an emotion, but a reality that transforms our lives.

As CS Lewis wrote, “God’s love is not a sentimental indulgence, but a holy and consuming fire that demands our all.” (Lewis, “The Problem of Pain”)

Suffering is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather it is an opportunity for growth and development in our faith.

As believers, we can glory in our sufferings because we know that they produce perseverance, character, and hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

References:

• Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)
• Spurgeon, C. “The Treasury of David”
• Tozer, AW. “The Pursuit of God”
• Nee, W. “The Normal Christian Life”
• Moody, DL. “The Way to God”
• Lewis, CS. “The Problem of Pain”

Additional Scriptures:

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (NIV)
• James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (NIV)
• 1 Peter 1:6-7 – “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (NIV)