Today’s Scripture: Romans 5:1-11 (S.O.A.P. Romans 5:3-5)
Question of the Day: What does “endurance” look like in a believer? What “character” does it build? And, what “hope” does the character produce?
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have[b] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access[c] into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice[d] in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not[e] only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God[f] has been poured out[g] in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.)[h] 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous[i] by His blood,[j] we will be saved through Him from God’s wrath.[k] 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by His life? 11 Not[l] only this, but we also rejoice[m] in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.
Endurance means we have to pace ourselves in our walk with christ. We need to make sure we don’t tife ourselves but be able to have faith love and hope. We need to have faith in christ and hope he will guide our lives and make sense of our struggles. God loves us so much and he gives us the same ability to not only love him but those around us.
I think God embeds a blessing in every hardship for those who trust him.
Endurance produces a proven character. This then produces hope because having triumphed over adversity in the past, we can hope to triumph over adversity in the future.
We have a present peace with God and a deliverance from future wrath, as well as a hope that is certain in the midst of life’s sufferings and it does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Hold up – don’t fold up. Joyfully keep trusting God in the face of opposition.