Blog 8 Part 2 - Love Through Suffering


 

Love Through Suffering

Read:

  • Romans 8 verse 18-30

This is part 2 of blog 8. Last time we saw God’s love even though we sinned and let Him down. This time we see God’s love for us when we suffer and when we are weak. But with anticipation as to what is to come…

Now I struggle getting through things I don’t enjoy, sometimes I lack a lot of discipline. This could be a workout, revising for an exam or doing work for university. So, sometimes I buy myself a bar chocolate or something for when I am done I have something that I can look forward to. Then to find that my brother has ate it. But it still works for me getting through hard times knowing there is a reward waiting at the end.

That mindset is similar to what Paul gives us when us as believers face hard times. This is one of my favourite verses for this reason and its verse 18 where Paul says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us.” How incredible is that! That even in our lowest moments we can have faith that there is great joy coming. That it doesn’t even compare to anything that for when Jesus returns, and we return with Him in heaven. We can hang on to that truth that we have hope in our hard times that Christ will deliver us from.

We even see all of creation wait in anticipation for Jesus’s return. (v19) To be delivered from the evil of this world. We see this from verse 21 to 23 we see our need for the saviour’s return. In verse 22, we see Paul say we will be “delivered from the bondage of corruption.” We suffer from the curse of sin in this world and Jesus will deliver us from that corruption from sin. It’s what Jesus promises us in Matthew chapter 24, of his return. That he will take us with Him from the evil of this world. This should encourage us because we know that in our struggling we can have our hope set on Christ’s return

But that’s not the only thing that should encourage us. Paul reminds us that when we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit, and it helps us in hard times. We see in verse 26 that the “Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses.” So, when we pray to God the Holy Spirit will intercede for us and gives us the words to say to help us when we are weak. That means that when you pray don’t worry about saying the right words because the Holy Spirit will know what you’re saying from your heart. Pray when you feel weak, and the Holy Spirit will fill you with strength.

Now through this we have a calling, as Paul describes it a purpose. We see in verse 28 Paul says, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purpose.” You see while we are here on earth we need to come together as believers and work with each other. Whether that is with a church, a Christian union or just a group of friends. We all have a purpose and gifts that we can use to glorify God for His purpose. We also see that God has a plan for our lives. Paul describes it as that he “predestined us” which means that God knows our past and our future. He has a plan for us to not only give us strength when we are weak but to glorify Him. Let us be encouraged and go forward with the truth to glorify God in everything we do.

Dear Lord, thank you for the glory you have set before us. Thank you that from what we have read we can have hope in you even when we suffer or are weak. Lord helps us in the times we are weak Lord that you will make us strong, and you will make a way through the hard times. Help us to work alongside each other for the good of your glory. Amen.

Going Deeper Questions

  1. What does Paul mean when he says that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed? How is that an encouragement for when we face trials and struggles? (v18)
  2. What does it mean to be delivered from the bondage of corruption: For creation? For you personally? (v21)
  3. What does it mean for the Spirit to help us in our weakness? What does that mean for us when we feel weak? How does that challenge us when we look to get closer to God? (v26)
  4. What does it mean that God predestined you? What does it say about God’s character? (v29-30)
  5. How does God work all things for good of those who love him? Where can you see this when you reflect on your own life? (v28)

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