Romans 5:3-5
Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And Character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Very few of us have the spiritual ability to be “full of joy now” when we experience trouble and suffering. Because in the natural we are so afraid of getting hurt and being overcome by negative circumstances our faith falters, as we struggle to carry on and survive. During hard times our spiritual enemy, Satan, works hard to pull us away from focusing on God while trusting in His love and desire to see us through the suffering and work blessings into our lives. Our spiritual enemy attempts to set us up for unbelief by putting fear and doubt into our hearts and minds. Then our focus will be on what is broken or wrong, not on our faithful, trustworthy Savior. But we must look at Truth, which states; God will work to bring good into our lives (Romans 8:28), and the troubles and affliction Satan sends to use for our spiritual demise will not defeat our walk of faith, but will produce spiritual fruit in us. It may sound a bit extreme but it is Gods will to develop His children into amazing spiritual souls! This is why we will triumph in our troubles and rejoice in sufferings because we know that the pressure, affliction and hardship we experience will produce patient, unshakable and enduring faith in our heart. A patient, enduring heart develops into maturity of character. Then this sort of character produces the habit of joy and confident hope! This hope will keep us from being disappointed or deceived because God has poured His love into our hearts and we can trust in Him and what He is creating in our lives!
