For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.
Into the Text
Paul’s words in Romans 8 remind us that trusting in God is not a passive action. Instead, it is a conscious choice, a daily commitment to remember who He is and what He has promised. Each time we cling to His promises, we increase our faith.
The suffering we experience in this world is a result of sin. Though the suffering we feel may not be the result of our own sin (though sometimes it is), the overall reason for brokenness is sin. And this decay permeates even to creation. Our world literally cries out for freedom and redemption.
We are waiting for redemption. And when we are in Christ, we have the gift of hope in what is to come. He has promised glorious redemption, both the physical and spiritual redemption of our bodies. We live in the tension of knowing what was promised and awaiting its arrival. We live in the “not yet.”
But in the “not yet” we cling to hope—the hope of complete redemption through the work of Jesus Christ. This hope is what allows us to continue.
It may never be easier, but we can learn to endure. Endurance is a practice, a discipline. A runner cannot run a marathon without first running one mile, then another, and another. She needs to suffer in her training in order to build up stamina; otherwise, she won’t complete the race. In the same way, we can only learn endurance by enduring. As we choose to believe that the One who saved us will also redeem us from suffering, we build our endurance as it’s rooted in hope.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that hope is found in you and you alone. Help me to cling tightly to the truth of your Word and who you are. May it produce a deeper faith and continued endurance. Amen.