“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ~Romans 5:3-5 NKJV
“Glory in tribulations....”, this can sound like an impossible feat! What does that even mean? How are we supposed to be happy and joyful when we go through hard times? Why would God want us to “glory in tribulation”?
When we are saved, that doesn’t mean that our life is suddenly perfect, and everything is going to be happily ever after on earth. We will still have those troubles come up in relationships, our finances, our workplace, etc. The difference is, when those problems come up, it is not a surprise to God and He is with us through it. Not only is He with us, but He knows exactly what we need to get us through, and He provides that! It may not always be a quick fix, but He is always faithful and will never leave us or give up on us! We can “glory”, or be thankful, that He will be with us and give us the strength we need for those hard times.
Another area that we can “glory” in when going through those tough times, is how we can grow and what we can learn from going through them. When faced with difficulties, we pray and ask for the strength to get through it and not give up but can also pray that God would show us what He wants us to learn from this situation. Some situations may help us develop patience, we might learn to trust God more fully, we could even learn practical things such as improved communication and forgiveness when going through relationship troubles, or better ways to manage our finances when facing financial difficulties.
Every trial allows us to learn and grow, and the more we can learn and grow, the better we can help others do the same!
Pastor Ann Canaday