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Hardships

Hawk

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven.

~Matthew 5:12

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Matthew 5:10-12:

God’s commands sometimes defy human logic. Take for example, the command to rejoice in persecution. It doesn’t make sense until we realize the effect of praise, it keeps us focused upon the Lord and the good things that He can bring out of hardship.

The apostle Paul faced greater abuse and suffering than most of us ever will. He was beaten, put on trial, and imprisoned, yet he looked beyond those difficulties to what the Lord was accomplishing through his life. That is, though he didn’t rejoice that he was a captive, he was able to celebrate the great ministry he had among his prison guards.

If we believe God is in control and keeps His promises, then we must trust in the principle of Romans 5:3-5. This passage assures us that our hardships have a purpose. Specifically, they develop our endurance, strengthen our character, and solidify our hope. Two immediate blessings of suffering are the deepening of our faith and the preparation for greater service to the kingdom. We’re able to rejoice because we are maturing believers whom God can use for His purposes.

The Lord will bring good from our persecution, just as He did for Paul. But if we allow doubt to cloud our faith, we won’t be able to rejoice in what He is doing in and through our lives. And if we can’t rejoice, we are in danger of giving up before God’s good work can be completed. Rejoicing keeps us focused upon the Lord and His purpose so that we may see our trial through to the end and receive our reward. 

Hawk

Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (3) Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; (4) and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (5) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

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