July 18
1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34; Romans 4:13-5:5; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 19:17
Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? You may have been asked a question like this, and found yourselves scratching your heads. We never really know the exact why behind a lot of what God allows, but Scripture does point us to several possible answers to that question.
In Romans 5 Paul gives us one possible answer. He wants us to understand that God is more concerned about our holiness than our happiness, and thus allows suffering into our lives to mature us. The chain of maturity in verses 3-4 is that our suffering first produces perseverance. God allows hard things in our lives to grow us and to teach us how to keep pressing on. In physical exercise we use heavier and more challenging weights to continue to grow. So spiritually, increasing hardship is one way of learning to strengthen our spiritual muscles. Second, as we learn perseverance, our character grows. Perseverance has a way of maturing us, providing us with wisdom and teaching us how to live with skill. Finally, perseverance and character increase our hope. Hope moves us from beyond the present into a confidence in a better tomorrow. God wants to remind us that our present reality is not the end of the story, but rather paradise awaits. Suffering is one of the easiest ways for God to teach us to keep our focus on eternity rather than today. Therefore, the next time you are going through hardship ask the question: God, how are you trying to teach me perseverance, grow my character, and increase my hope through this?
God, thank you that you can work in the hardest of situations for my good. Thank you that you can redeem the darkest of things and that you work all things together for the good of those who love you. Help me to trust you today with the suffering I face and give me eyes to see how you are at work in my life. Amen.
Question of the day: When have you seen God use suffering to produce perseverance, character, and hope in your life?
Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? You may have been asked a question like this, and found yourselves scratching your heads. We never really know the exact why behind a lot of what God allows, but Scripture does point us to several possible answers to that question.
In Romans 5 Paul gives us one possible answer. He wants us to understand that God is more concerned about our holiness than our happiness, and thus allows suffering into our lives to mature us. The chain of maturity in verses 3-4 is that our suffering first produces perseverance. God allows hard things in our lives to grow us and to teach us how to keep pressing on. In physical exercise we use heavier and more challenging weights to continue to grow. So spiritually, increasing hardship is one way of learning to strengthen our spiritual muscles. Second, as we learn perseverance, our character grows. Perseverance has a way of maturing us, providing us with wisdom and teaching us how to live with skill. Finally, perseverance and character increase our hope. Hope moves us from beyond the present into a confidence in a better tomorrow. God wants to remind us that our present reality is not the end of the story, but rather paradise awaits. Suffering is one of the easiest ways for God to teach us to keep our focus on eternity rather than today. Therefore, the next time you are going through hardship ask the question: God, how are you trying to teach me perseverance, grow my character, and increase my hope through this?
God, thank you that you can work in the hardest of situations for my good. Thank you that you can redeem the darkest of things and that you work all things together for the good of those who love you. Help me to trust you today with the suffering I face and give me eyes to see how you are at work in my life. Amen.
Question of the day: When have you seen God use suffering to produce perseverance, character, and hope in your life?
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