"Exult in our tribulations"

Romans 4:13-5:5 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; ¹⁵ for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

¹⁶ For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. ¹⁸ In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹ Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; ²⁰ yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. ²² Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. ²³ Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, ²⁴ but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

It is one thing to as the text says: exult in hope of the glory of God. But it is completely another thing to: also exult in our tribulations. The text says: tribulation brings about perseverance;  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. James 1:2-4 agrees with this saying:  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.   So, it is not the tribulation we exult in, it is not the various trials which we endure that we consider joy, but rather it is knowing that tribulation and trial bring about perseverance and endurance, it proves or improves our character, it makes us perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

It seems quite contrary to logical thinking, but it also agrees with what Romans 8:28-29 says: we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren    The tribulations and trials we face are not caused by God. He is not sitting in heaven taking joy in punishing or torturing us. Through our endurance of our trials, through our perseverance, not only does it produce a stronger faith and hope, but the perfect result, what makes us complete and lacking nothing, is that we become conformed to the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We lack nothing because as we are conformed to, made in the image of Christ, we are also then ourselves sons and daughters of God.  Romans 8:16-17 says:  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.        To be a child of God, an heir with Christ, is to be entitled to everything that God has, all the riches and promises of the kingdom of heaven. Christ Jesus obtained these things for us through His suffering on the cross, He restored us to what was originally intended when God said:  “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  (Genesis 1:26-28) What was lost through the disobedience and sin of Adam and Eve, was restored to us through the suffering of Christ. It is through our own trials and tribulations that we become conformed to the image, the likeness, the perfection, lacking nothing, like Christ Himself.

There is a part we play in all this. We have an important choice to make when we are faced with these trials and tribulations. There are many different sayings which express the choice we have. Life, the difficulties we face, can either make us “bitter or better.” The same sun that melts wax, hardens clay. The same boiling water that softens a potato, hardens an egg. It is a choice we have to make, a choice to exult in our tribulations, to count our various trials as joy. Many are hardened and made bitter by the difficulties and trials of life. Some may become stronger, but it is a strength based on self reliance rather than on faith in Christ. When we submit to God’s will and God’s plan, when we truly choose to exult in our tribulation, to take joy in our trials, we have first the peace of God. Philippians 4:4-7 says:   The Lord is near.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.     Others will marvel at the peace with which those who are truly in Christ endure and persevere through trials. It surpasses all normal, logical comprehension. It is the same peace and comfort expressed by the psalmist who says in Psalm 23:  

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (lacking nothing) He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; (restored to God’s original intention) He guides me in the paths of righteousness (conformed to the image of Christ) For His name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; (when we recognize that even death, the worst possible outcome of the trials we face is a mere shadow, it has no power over us, we have nothing to fear) Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; (the healing oil of the Holy Spirit guides us through the process of softening our wounds, rather than becoming hard and scarred) My cup overflows.Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The peace of God, the confidence and trust we have in Him through Christ’s suffering is only part though of what we are given, what our inheritance in Christ is. Jesus says: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) The one who allows life’s difficulties to harden them or the one who becomes self reliant, misses out on the abundant life that Jesus came to give. He says:   Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.  Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:12-14) We are to be fully restored to God’s original intention, having authority and dominion here in this earthly realm. That too is part of the perfection we receive when we exult in our tribulation, when we count our trials as joy, when we are made perfect and complete, lacking nothing, conformed to the image of Christ.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ: precious Holy Spirit for all that You have done and all that You have given me through Jesus Christ and the cross. Thank You, even for my tribulations and trials, may I become all that You have called and intended me to be, conformed to the image of Christ, a child of God and a joint heir of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.   Amen