City Life Starter

Text: Romans 5:3-5

³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NKJV)

Perspective: “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.”

How do you glory in tribulation?  How do you convince yourself that suffering is a good thing?  Paul in his writing to Romans introduces his perspective on suffering.  For Paul, suffering was part of his life, in that after his conversion experience on that faithful day on Damascus road, what he encountered and believed lead him to suffer for Christ.  Jesus tells Ananias in Acts:

“Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16)

Many times, what we glory is in glory itself, we do not count all the details of how one obtains glory.  Think about why we gravitate toward success stories, whether they are successful businessmen, educators, authors, doctors, etc…, we idolize their success as something we would like to imitate and also experience.  We gravitate toward their secrets of success to become better in our profession and life.  What I rarely hear from these gurus are their trials, suffering and failures that many times catapult them into success.

We know Paul as one of the greatest evangelists that ever lived.  He would go on to write two-thirds of the New Testament.  His mission to the Gentile world had such a great impact that seminarians study Paul’s mission, evangelism, and church growth.  What we don’t talk too much about is the behind the scenes of Paul’s life, all the suffering and failures he had to experience and learn.

“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27, NKJV)

Biblical Perspective on Suffering: Suffering is not the end but means to God’s Promise.

For Paul, tribulation was an opportunity for him to glory in God.  He believed that by embracing tribulation, a person will learn how to persevere, build godly character, and hope for eternal life.  We know that Paul would ultimately be led to death by martyrdom in Rome.  Paul would not experience the impact he has made in Christianity.  His hope was not based on quick result or change of his circumstances but hope of eternal life.  For 2,000 years, his letters impacted millions of Christians throughout history, Paul was not aware of the impact his letters would make, he was only obedient to the call of God and embraced the sufferings for Christ sake.  When we are anchored in this eternal hope, we can also embrace the suffering as part of God’s divine plan that will impact our family, friends, nation and the world.

Our Savior, on that day of crucifixion embraced the cross and suffering.  We glory in Christ’s Sonship, His ministry, Resurrection and Ascension, but Suffering and Death on the Cross should share the same respect and sense of awe.  We rejoice, because of what Christ has accomplished on the Cross, though He suffered, because of His finished work, we are considered children of God.  If Christ did not die and rise, we would be still separated from God and in sin.  There would be no forgiveness, no redemption, no salvation, and no reconciliation.  O how wonderful it is to know that because of what Jesus has done, we are forgiven, redeemed and reconciled with God.  All because, Jesus viewed suffering to be only temporary and not permanent, by His single act of obedience fulfilled the prophecy and changed the course of history.

Tribulation?  Suffering?  It is all perspective.  JY