Listen

Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

Think

“I love being in trouble!” Who would say that? We usually see trouble as an obstacle, something in the way that we’d rather not deal with.

Trouble takes many forms. Sometimes it’s a minor inconvenience, like a flat tire or spilled coffee. Other times it’s a major difficulty, like a prolonged illness or a natural disaster. So, we respond to trouble in many ways: Some panic, others flee, some try to fight. But how many of us respond positively?

Paul sees trouble as a good thing! He says that trouble leads to hope. This hope comes from the Lord, so it will not “put us to shame.” In other words, this kind of hope will never disappoint us. We can always count on it.

When trouble comes, it often catches us off-guard. We didn’t anticipate that hole in our tire, or that positive diagnosis. But trouble, big or small, leads us to hope. And this hope is reliable, just like the One who provides it.

Ben Browne

Pray

God who gives me hope, I know that you are with me when I’m in trouble. Help me to see trouble as Paul does. Amen.

Go

Go and see the world as God sees you.