Rejoice in Suffering?

Paul says, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, 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."
(Rom.5:3-5 ESV)

So, suffering in the end produces hope. Really? From the world's perspective this seems so counter-intuitive...in fact, completely insane! We don't ever happily volunteer to suffer. Pain is to be avoided at all costs. Massive resources and huge amounts of energy are expended in the cause of pain avoidance and the negation of suffering...especially where it concerns me. Self-sacrifice, if it was every a part of our lives, has become a distant memory. It is considered an ancient and no longer relevant paradigm, to be replaced by the gods of self-actualization and self-fulfillment. After all, we have a right to be happy, don't we?

When we hear Paul's affirmation in Romans 5, the automatic reaction of our sin nature is incredulity. This simply can't be true. However, Paul goes on to demonstrate that what the world considers folly is, in fact, the only place where hope can be realized. Why?

"Self" was what got the world in this mess in the first place. It was the sin of Adam. From God's perspective, self-anything is idolatrous. Self is the idol of our broken age. It stands in direct opposition to the biblical call of Jesus to "take up your cross and follow" him. Jesus' example of self-sacrifice demonstrated that God's intended paradigm for our personal fulfillment is through the cross...following Jesus.

As we willingly agree to die to self, we participate in Jesus death and are raised with him to eternal life. Eternity is our context! Once we understand that reality and it becomes a part of our everyday makeup, sacrificing self for the sake of others almost becomes second nature. We have already been assured of eternal life and not one hair on our head will be harmed, so we can face any challenge...no matter how hard and what the worldly cost, because we know where our ultimate future lies.

We can indeed rejoice when we suffer because others are being served and given through our example a glimpse of that which awaits them in eternity. They, through our suffering and endurance, see hope in action...and the everlasting love of the Father for us which is lavished upon us through the work if the Holy Spirit. If joy can result from our pain and brokenness, it can also for them. TBTG

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