Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

There is so much really rich stuff in this chapter that I think this verse gets overlooked most of the time. However, this verse too is very valuable for successful Christian living. The world expects us to focus on our difficulties, and is at times surprised if we don’t. The devil does all he can to get us to focus on them, accusing God of being unfair in the process. That in itself should be sufficient reason not to do it! However, that is certainly not the road of gratitude, and gratitude is the key to happiness in this life. As Jesus said very clearly, in this world we will have trouble. (John 16:33) Since it’s part of life, we shouldn’t make a big deal of it, but keep going for what God promises us is ahead. If we’re focused on this life, optimism isn’t always the logical path, but when we have the promise of eternity with our Lord, what Paul says here should go without saying. This isn’t to say we are to ignore difficulties, much less that we aren’t to try to resolve them, but it is to say that difficulties aren’t the final answer for children of God, even if those difficulties result in great suffering and death. Verse 28 of this chapter is quite famous, and it’s part of the same picture. As long as we think we are in control, or that we should be, we will multiply our suffering with our emotional response to it. We aren’t to be passive, but at the same time we are to recognize the sovereignty of God, that He loves us, and that as verse 28 says, He will work everything together for good.

I had an interesting lesson in this just yesterday. At the end of the service I was mentioning prayer points, and someone called out, “How about your own situation?” I hadn’t said anything about my hospitalization because I considered it no big deal! Yes, there were and will be inconveniences, and I’m no fan of pain, in myself or in others, but it still felt, and feels, like no big deal. After all, I’m headed for glory, as this verse says. I still have plenty to do on this earth and I’m not to be lax about it. I know I will have more difficulties before I’m called home, but I’m not anxious about it because I know my Lord will get me through them all, including the last one where getting through means leaving this body behind. There are people all around me who are in difficulties of all kinds, and I must not be callous toward them, treating their difficulties lightly. I am to seek to turn their hearts toward their Creator, even while doing all I can to alleviate their current suffering. That requires more wisdom than I have in myself, but God will provide what I need when I need it. (James 1:5)

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace toward me. There are people around me who have just lost, or are about to lose, life partners. I particularly want to be Your agent of comfort and blessing to them. Thank You for the partner You have given me, and that she was able to get some real sleep last night, despite her pain. Thank You that we seem to be tracking closer to identifying the cause of the pain. I pray for wisdom each step of the way, so that she would have no unnecessary pain, and I pray Your peace and joy for her in the process, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!