Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:1)
Anxiety runs in my family. And it shows in my life. I spend countless hours stressing over the details of things, running through every possible situation. I, like most people, don’t enjoy when things don’t go according to plan. However, Scripture tells us to glory in our sufferings. Why is that? Whenever I face a tough situation, my first instinct is usually not a celebration.
We have so much to learn from Paul’s words in Romans, in a sort of step-wise order. First, as Christians, we can have peace because “we have been justified through faith.” In other words, if we have faith, we have been saved from sin. Therefore, because we can boast in the glory of the grace of God, we can and should celebrate everything he has done for us. And because of this hope and peace (here come the next steps), we can glory in our sufferings that, through Christ, will in turn produce perseverance, then character, then hope.
As followers of Christ, trust and know that suffering will help you grow stronger in your faith and character. Trust and know that God has poured out his love for you, has given you his Spirit, helps you persevere, and freely gives peace. Don’t celebrate the bad things; celebrate the good God who will bring you through.
Pray for God’s peace in a tough situation in your life.
Ethan Zent is from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He’s studying worship leading and pursuing Wesleyan ordination at Kingswood University.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
