Perseverance > Character > Hope

"....but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character, hope. And hope does not dissapoint us..." ~Romans 5:3-5

In a lesson I taught recently, we learned that the Greek definition of the word perseverance means cheerful endurance! How cheerful are you in the midst of your latest suffering? James 1:2-3 tells us that we are to "consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Are you simply enduring your trial; counting the days until it will be over? Or are you able to honestly rejoice believing that God has a specific purpose for your suffering and you look forward to see what's on the other side?

That purpose is to build your character! God has given each one of us a dream to fulfill here on this earth, but many times He first needs to shape and mold us into women He can use. This shaping and molding may come in the form of tests, trials and tribulations. He wants to see how we respond and if our character has developed enough for our next assignment.

From Romans 5:4, we then see that character produces hope. Where would we be without hope? Hope is for today, not just some far off place in the future. But we must learn to hope in God and not our circumstances changing...read that again. We can't depend on others or ourselves to shorten our testing time. You must know that God is working in your life, through your circumstances -as ugly and unfair as they may seem to you! He hasn't forgotten about you.

So how would you grade yourself on the latest test God has given you? Very rarely do I teach a Bible lesson, that God doesn't use it to speak to me....loud and clear. I will admit that I am currently being tested in this area of perseverance and many days I merely endure and not cheerfully I might add! I must continually remind myself that this "suffering" is being used to develop and strengthen my character in preparation for my next assignment. I realize that it's up to God to decide, not me, as to how and when this test will come to an end. I cling to the hope of what this testing represents and know it will not dissapoint me.

What is God using to mold and shape you today? I'd love to hear your stories and encourage you along the way. I'll close with one of my favorite verses - "...let us throw off everything that hinders us (other people, circumstances, excuses, etc.) and the sin that so easily entangles (doubt, discouragement, self-pity, laziness, pride, etc.) and let us run with perseverance (cheerful endurance) the race marked out for us (God's dream). ~ Hebrews 12:1