The collection of “Songs of Ascent” begins appropriately with the song of a faithful worshipper who is far away from the temple among pagan people – people who hate truth and love war.
Do you know what it is like to feel out of place? Alone in your convictions? Under the attack of a lying tongue?
As the travelers sing about persecution on their pilgrimage to Zion (the mountain of God), so too, we find ourselves alone or under attack as we seek to honor Him.
God’s Word doesn’t toss out a lot of promises that, as Christians, our troubles are going to go away – that our enemies will come around and begin to see things from our perspective. It doesn’t promise that you won’t have times where you feel very, very, very alone in your convictions or that the “warrior’s sharp arrows” won’t sting and the “glowing coals” won’t burn.
But you know what God’s Word does say about persecution? God tells us that it’s a cause for celebration!
Whoa.
Romans 5:3-5 doesn’t tell us that our suffering will be over soon, or that our enemies will get old and ugly and miserable. Nope. In fact, they might prosper for a very. long. season.
Instead, God promises something better – something eternal:
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope.”
Romans 5:3-4
Man. It all makes sense on paper, but is it hard for anyone else to think in terms of eternity when the liar is prospering, when your loved ones are hurting, and your integrity seems to be running you into the ground? I’ll be honest, when the world is feeling particularly painful, it’s a real struggle for me to think in terms of celebration.
I just want the mean guys to lose!
And the Holy Spirit – ever faithful, ever gentle – realigns my heart and reminds me of that four-letter word.
Hope.
It’s what the Israelites had as they began their journey to the mountain of God.
It’s what I had when I woke up this morning, and what I will have when I climb into bed tonight.
Hope is our good gift – our reward – from our great and loving God. And it comes out of suffering.
Not only does the Bible give us a promise – it give us proof! You know Whose suffering produced the greatest Hope of all, don’t you?
Christ.
Let’s stand firm today on the Word of God today, sisters. Walking toward Him. Seeking Him. Perhaps feeling alone, yet never really alone. Dare we suffer with a skip in our steps? Dare we actually rejoice when we suffer persecutions?
His hope is real. It is promised. It is proven.
Kristal- You’ve got it!! Will be praying for you, that things WILL come together, and that you’ll connect with other believers! Hold on to Hope- you are not alone!! :)
I just recently went through a very trying time and I found myself praising God that the outcome would be different than what I was facing. I realize through this study that I must rejoice period through persecution because it brings about a lot of great things. Patience, character, and hope.
I love the truth in this devotional. I’ve been feeling alone. Few friends in my “New” city, still single, failed attempts to connect at the last church I attended has left me discouraged. I know God is with me, but when I come home to an empty house day after day, it pains me. And after being at a church for two years and not making close friends despite my attempts to connect with others I’m frustrated. pray for me please. as a part of the body I’m saying I need you all even though you’re strangers please lift me up in prayer
Definitely, praying for you!! I know how having a connected community makes such a difference in our relationship with God. About two years ago I also found a community and my love for Christ flourished – I felt it every day! Like you, now I am also alone in a new city and it's a change, but I do cherish my personal relationship with God… I feel that solitude has brought me closer to Him in a new way :) I pray that you will feel connected to Him whether in a community or as an individual!
Playing with hungry children in Cambodia :: That's where I learned and experienced hope! With tummies grumbling, they fed themselves with God's hope, with God's word, with God's promises — even though their family life and circumstances were growing dim. I carry that lesson today because don't have it that bad – and yet – I act like my God isn't the God who was Abraham's hope (like you all mentioned in today's devotional).
Thank you for the reminder! And keeping all these women focused on God's Will :: To seek and save the loss, to comfort and provide for the brokenhearted….!
This reading is so timely. I am experiencing a tough season at work right now. The turmoil seams overwhelming and I have lost hope. Yesterday I broke down and was ready to just throw in the towel and give up. Then today I find these verses in Romans! It's amazing how God finds little ways to say Hey, I heard you cry out. I am listening to you. I am here.
Thank you God for remindng me that you are there and that you are in control. Help me to trust in you. Guide my steps. Strengthen me to keep perservering. Produce hope within me. Help me to be your light to others. When the struggles of this world seam to be too much, I rely on your strength to help me through. And that is enough for me.
This devotion could not have come at a better time. I am thankful for the HOPE that it brings as I too like Israel am on a type of journey of my own.
I am having to trust God more than I have ever trusted Him before. It has brought me into a closer relationship that I breach a few years ago. “Even when we are faithless, He still abides faithful.”
No matter how this journey ends I believe God is working it out for what is best for me. I just must remember to keep my eyes on the mark! Israel’s destination was Jerusalem; mine is the same peace.
i have been very blessed in my life, and in my mind have not had many times where i've felt like i was suffering. i'm sure there are trials that are waiting for me ahead, and so i look at days/scriptures like these as a chance for me to store these pieces away, so that when i need them, i'll have them in my "supply". you are all such good examples and i'm thankful that you are all willing to share your experiences and thoughts so that those like me can learn from them.
here's my short prayer that i wrote during my time this morning: "Lord, help me to be hopeful in the face of any suffering i might encounter. make me strong in the knowledge that the trials are making me stronger and bringing me closer to You in Heaven."
I needed this today… I am dealing with forgiving my friends-turned-enemies and am feeling quite alone as I've chosen to walk a different path than they have… this was quite the encouragement and good reminder for me tonight.
i went through this a few years ago. my sadness and anger still rear their ugly heads sometimes, but stay encouraged that God will put people in your life who are on the same path as you. and you will appreciate them so much more because of what you're going through now.