A Second Look at Suffering

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and that endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:2-5; ESV).

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18; ESV).

"For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too" (2 Corinthians 1:5).

What do these passages have in common? They encourage us to look beyond our immediate experience of suffering toward eternal things.

In Romans 5, to rejoice both in hope of the glory of God and in our sufferings, not for our sufferings, but the outcome--endurance, character, and hope.

In Romans 8, "that the sufferings of this present time cannot be compared with the future glory which will be revealed to us."

In 2 Corinthians, to see the abundance of comfort we share if we share first in Christ's sufferings.

We need to stay focused on the promises of Scripture, knowing that as God has kept His Word to this day, He will continue to in the days ahead.