Very few of us have the spiritual ability to be “full of joy now” when we experience trouble and suffering. Because 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 hardship, our spiritual enemy works hard to pull us away from believing in God’s love and desire to bring blessings into our lives. He attempts to shatter our faith in a good God and to replace our faith with fear and unbelief. The truth is this: God will work to bring good into our lives by using the troubles and affliction that Satan intends for our spiritual demise.
It may sound a bit extreme, but it is God’s will to develop His children into amazing spiritual souls! We can triumph in our troubles and rejoice in sufferings because we know that the pressure, affliction, and hardship we experience can be used to produce patient, unshakable, and enduring faith in our hearts. A patient, enduring heart develops mature character, and this sort of character produces the habit of joy and confident hope! This hope will keep us being disappointed or deceived, because God has poured His love into our hearts. We can trust in Him and what He is creating in our lives!
“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” (Romans 5:3-5).
