“Suffering Produces Hope”

Meditation on Romans 5:1-5

May 26, 2013

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       “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through 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 sufferings, 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 to us.” (Romans 5:1-5)

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      Just two weeks ago was Mother’s Day.  For the children’s sermon that Sunday, I called the kids forward with their mothers and grandmothers. I asked them what presents they had given their mothers.   Some said flowers.  One said pajamas. Another said he gave his mom an air freshener for her car!  That was Ami!  Others said they had given their moms cards—some they had made themselves.

       I told the children about my son, Josh, stationed overseas in the Air Force. How he sent me a note saying he wasn’t going to forget Mother’s Day.  That I should expect something exotic, like fish paste, which apparently is popular in Korea!  I told him no presents were necessary!  Just send me a nice card.

       Then I asked the children what 3 little words did their mothers want to read in their cards. They quickly answered, “I love you!”

       That night, I thought about Josh.  I hadn’t heard from him on Mother’s Day, after all. No card.  No present. But like every other mother with a son or daughter serving in the military, I just wanted to know he was safe. I prayed and thanked God, once again, for restoring my family to wholeness last November.

    When Josh left for Basic Training in 2008, he was angry at Jim and me. He cut off all communication with us. For the next several years, I sent him cards and notes.  Gifts for his birthday and Christmas.  He never responded.  He was corresponding with his brother, Jacob, so I knew he was having a hard time in Basic Training.  Harder than he thought it would be.  And with all the hurts that he had carried with him into the military, something hard would be even more difficult to bear.

     Many nights I worried about him and cried over him. I had nightmares that something bad would happen to Josh—before we had been reconciled. In every card I sent, I made sure to tell him that I loved him. But after 3 or 4 years, without any response, I stopped sending cards and gifts.  It was just too painful anymore.

     Then, last November, Josh called me.  He asked to come and stay with us at Thanksgiving. The Spirit had been working in us throughout all the years of suffering. Our hearts were ready to forgive and be reconciled. We had a joyful reunion for one week. And then we said “goodbye” with heavy hearts as he left for his yearlong tour of duty in Korea. 

      I experienced more suffering after that—the pain of missing him, now that we were finally reconciled! But the suffering I had experienced after he left for Basic Training had made me stronger. I was determined that instead of worrying about him as he served his country overseas, I would pray for him. God had been faithful to us!  We could trust the Lord to continue to be faithful to do His loving, healing work.

     The Spirit moved our hearts from suffering to hope.  Now I look forward in faith to when—not if—we will be together as a family again!

      ***

       In our Epistle reading today, Paul speaks of our access to God’s grace. He uses the legal term, “justified.”  Because of Jesus, we are no longer condemned to the punishment that our sin deserves—death!  Through Christ, God has restored us to a loving relationship with Him, as if Adam and Eve had never eaten the forbidden fruit. As if we had never sinned at all!

     But being justified doesn’t mean the work of our spiritual transformation is over. It’s just the beginning.  Throughout our lives of faith, we are engaged in the painful work of suffering.  In this pain that all Christians experience, we share in the glory of Him who suffered beyond all our imagining, being stripped, beaten, humiliated, and hung on the cross to die a cruel death in our place.

    When Paul speaks of suffering, he uses the Greek word thlipsis. This means anything that puts undue pressure on us; the things that are thrown at us to steal our joy and make us doubt God’s love and providential care.  Thlipsis can refer to persecution, imprisonment, ridicule, poverty, hunger, sickness, great sorrow, anxiety, and depression. Through the work of suffering, Paul becomes stronger in his faith and less concerned with his situation.  He says he learns to be content, despite everything. He learns to endure, to be patient, in his suffering. His faith that God has made peace with us through Jesus Christ keeps Paul in perpetual peace.

       Suffering produces endurance or patience, which produces character. Suffering moves us to become the people God wants us to be! It equips us with the personal characteristics that allow us to be God’s humble servants and do things for Him we never thought we could do!

       Then character produces hope, a hope that does not disappoint!  What is hope but faith with joy attached? We look forward with joy to the sharing in Christ’s glory. A hope that does not disappoint is not a maybe thing.  Our glory in Him will certainly happen. We will be resurrected with Him!

       

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     The days following Mother’s Day passed quickly. Then one day, a pink envelope arrived in the mail. A card from Josh!

      The front said, “Mom, being a guy and all, I don’t like long, gushy cards.  So let me say this in my own brief, manly way.” Inside, hearts danced around the simple, 4-word message, “I love you, Mommy!”

      The Spirit was using my children’s message from 2 weeks ago to remind me of His own love and faithfulness! God was reaffirming the Spirit’s work in my family.

      Then, as I prepared for the funeral Thursday, I received a mysterious package from Josh. The Spirit was speaking again—but this time, through the adult sermon from Mother’s Day.

     Does anyone remember what it was about? We are new creatures in Christ, being transformed from ugly caterpillars to beautiful butterflies.

     Josh had sent me a white ceramic, teakettle shaped, scented oil burner.  Painted on the outside are delicate pink flowers and one beautiful butterfly.  It was as if God were reminding me again that what was ugly and broken in our family has been healed.  The suffering has done its work!

       Friends, I know you have suffered, too.  Some of you are going through a time of great suffering right now. Let me assure you that the suffering has a good purpose—and that you and I are being changed into new creatures of enduring, patient hope—a hope that does not disappoint!

       God has been faithful to us! And we can trust Him to continue to be faithful to do His loving, healing work in us, our families, and our lives. His grace has redeemed us! His love has been poured into our hearts! And Josh and I –and all of you—are becoming the people God wants us to be!

Let us pray.

 Holy God, thank you for giving us your Son so we could be forgiven for all our sins and restored to a loving relationship with you!  Thank you for pouring your love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, so that we would be able to walk in Christ’s loving ways.  Help us to endure the suffering that is ahead with faith and joy.  May we be now and forever a people of hope—a hope that will not disappoint. Prepare our hearts, minds, and lives so we are ready for when your Son returns for us, His Church—and our transformation into His likeness will be complete.  In Him we pray. Amen.