Day 19 in the Wilderness- Endurance and Character

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God though our Lord Jesus Christ, though whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given us." (Romans 5:1-5)

This Romans passage was in my devotional reading for today from Michael Lindvall's book "Knowing God's Triune Story". It is a great devotional book and a wonderful reminder of all the places where God's Triune story shines through in scripture. I have to admit that I have read this passage many times and been baffled by it's claims many times but never realized that the Trinity was explicitly named in this passage. Perhaps the mystery of God in relationship with Godself and with us is part of the answer to how Paul could make the claim that suffering ultimately produces hope.

This morning already I have spoken and prayed with people whose places of business were broken into, another who was in the hospital trying to recover from a chronic disease and another who is battling with the fatigue of cancer. I have written notes to a young person who just lost their job, and talked with another whose work is in jeopardy. None of these people spoke positively of the suffering and yet...they did have hope. Where did it come from?

As I read the writing of Paul and reflect on the people of God, I am convinced that the hope in the midst of suffering does come from the Triune God who does not lose hope in us- in the wilderness with Moses or on the cross of Christ or in the Spirit that came upon the fearful disciples in that Upper Room. This God is in a passionate relationship with us and will not let us go. This God is with us in our suffering and so we do have hope. And in the process of living with this God who suffers with us and receiving the hope that God alone brings, we discover that we can endure. And we develop as disciples whose strength of character depends not on the circumstances of life but our faith in Christ. And whose character does not shift with the whims of culture but is rooted firmly in the Triune God whose being and action are one.