“…
we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and
character, hope.” Romans
5:3b-4
Perseverance: a
‘stick-to-it’ attitude that can help us make it thru any and all problems. Suffering, while never pleasant, builds
character if we allow it to. It’s a
decision we make. Are we going to take a
‘woe-is-me’, “why do these things always happen to me” attitude when things
don’t go our way or are we going to look to the One who either caused or
allowed the event that has us down? God
knows all things and is very much aware of what we are going thru. Just when our suffering reaches its zenith
and we think we can’t possibly take any more, we must realize that things could
be so much worse then they are. The
suffering of others throughout the world makes our suffering seem microscopic
by comparison, yet it is very real to us.
The character of
the Lord is one of humility, selflessness, mercy and grace. He desires for us to acquire these traits as
well. We don’t get them by osmosis, as a
plant would acquire sustenance from nature.
We must learn at the feet of the Master thru our reading of
scripture. Frankly, any way you receive
the word of God can be an effective tool to feed our spirit. Preaching of the
word and/or the lyrics of a song can feed us as well.
The word of God
acts as a salve that heals our wounds and lessens our suffering. This is how we can deal effectively with our
pain. Knowing the word leads us to trust
the Lord and our trust will provide peace. Peace gives way to hope for the
future. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
Resource: The American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language.
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