To interpret Romans
5:4-5 of Paul’s letter to the Roman church, Christians are expected to bear
long periods of afflictions with patience and in doing so we demonstrate strong
character which further boosts our belief in our salvation.
The verse also suggests that trials ought not to cause
us to lose hope since our hope rests in knowing the depth of GOD’s love and the
Holy Spirit that fills our hearts with His love.
Since GOD’s WORD is inerrant (incapable of being wrong)
we must accept what the Scripture says but are we able to actually do what it
says?
There was a time in my own life when I couldn’t and
didn’t and suffered periods of trials and tests where I emerged discouraged rather
than uplifted. Not soon enough, I learned that my failure was connected to one key
phrase in this scripture, “For we know
how dearly God loves us.”
Do I really? And if not, how do I get to that place
of totally understanding this fact?
Like myself, many
of us fail the test of suffering with patience and joy simply because we have not
adequately fortified and prepared ourselves for suffering. We don’t have the
appropriate tools readily available when we need them
We do our best to prepare for personal tragedy and natural
disaster – we stock up on extra food, water, fuel and other necessities for the
impending storms; carry a “fix-it” kit and cable boosters in our car trunks; save
money and purchase insurance policies for accidents, retirement and unexpected
illness – and we do all this in advance of adversity.
Should we not also prepare for spiritual adversity?
We do not have to fail in the trial if we are prepared for the trial.
The
Colossian church was in danger of being influenced away from the Gospel and the
truth of what GOD’s love through CHRIST offers us. So the Apostle Paul included
this prayer in a letter to encourage them to continue in the way of life they
were taught:
“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of
his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you
live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every
kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God
better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his
glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.”
Colossians
1:9-11
This
prayer tells us exactly what we need to remain faithful to the love of GOD as followers
of JESUS CHRIST:
- complete knowledge of GOD’s will
- spiritual wisdom and understanding
There
is but one way for a Christian to know GOD’s will and have spiritual
understanding and that is to know GOD intimately.
It is okay to ask other believers to pray for us, GOD
tells us we ought to pray for one another. But unless we understand GOD’s sovereign
ability, other people praying about our troubles would bring us little comfort.
All spiritual
wisdom and understanding are
available to us in the Bible.
Daily Bible study is our spiritual food.
We eat every day to keep our physical bodies nourished and strong.
Just so we must read the Bible every day to keep our spirits healthy and strong. This
Book is not merely for reading; it is a book for careful meditation and study so
that its principles can be applied.
All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16
When this exercise is new to us it helps to pray before we read
and while we read and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal GOD’s Truth to us and
make it …it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit
searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. 1
Corinthians 2:10
.
GOD’s
WORD is His blueprint for all of life. It is where we learn who GOD is and His
will and purpose for all Creation, ourselves included. It is the Christian’s life
insurance policy for which GOD paid the premiums through JESUS and we get the
benefits during our lifetimes and after.
Paul’s
prayer in Colossians 1 assures us that as we come to know God better and better we will grow and develop into the kind of believers who:
- honor and please the Lord
- produce every kind of good fruit
We will
have faith in the unfathomable love of our Divine Helper and the
Holy Spirit.
We will have hope in salvation by GOD’s will and GOD’s way!
We will endure adversity, with joy!
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Mighty GOD and Father, all praise, honor
and glory belong to you! Thank you for showing us that we can be filled
with joy and endure in trials with thanksgiving! Thank YOU for YOUR
unfathomable love by which you reconciled us to Yourself through JESUS so we
are holy and without fault before YOU. Thank YOU for rescuing us from the
kingdom of darkness and transferring us into the Kingdom of YOUR dear Son, who
purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Teach us to love YOU and obey YOU,
to do all that YOU ask. Father, we belong to YOU, all that we are and hope to
be. We can do all things through Him who gives us His strength; we can endure!
We pray and ask all things in JESUS’ NAME.
Amen.
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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