Wednesday September 16, 2020 - The Glory After Suffering
For I conclude that our sufferings at the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)
What a perspective! As Paul and the first century Christians were facing persecution from the Jews and the Romans in many areas, Paul was focused not on what he was suffering at the moment but on what comes after the suffering.
For Christians, this statement never ceases to be true. No matter what our cross is, the glory that comes after it all is far better. Whether we are suffering an illness or financial issues or another problem, we are reminded that no matter how hard things become here on this earth, the glory that we have in heaven far outweighs anything on this earth.
While being a Christian does not mean that we will suffer less, it gives us hope when we suffer. The suffering will still happen and we will still feel it. However, it won’t bring us down because we focus on the glory that we will receive one day.
It was for this reason that Horatio Spafford wrote the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” after his son died and he was financially ruined due to the Chicago fire of 1871. Then in 1873, his four daughters drowned in the Atlantic Ocean after the ship they were on collided with another ship. He penned the great hymn shortly after the ship he was traveling on passed the spot where his daughters drowned.
So face your sufferings with this confidence. Focus on the glory that comes after suffering. Amen.
Our song for this morning is “It Is Well With My Soul” sung by Chris Rice