TRIBULATIONS, PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER, AND HOPE!

 "Not only that, but we also rejoice in tribulations, because we know that tribulation produces perseverance;

4 perseverance, an approved character; and the approved character, Hope.

5 And hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which he has given us. " Romans 5: 3-5

There are people who want to be genuine Christians without going through tribulations in this earthly life. Maybe we're like this, or we've been back there some time. But the fact is that tribulations serve to make us persevere in our faith and walk, a firm faith is one that resists even when put to the test. And, moreover, tribulations will make us persevere, and perseverance will eventually make us hope.

As much as we sometimes have the false sense that a life without adversity would be a life that would generate more hope in us, biblically we find the opposite of this. It is in the midst of the problems and storms of life that hope is born and grows in our lives. We should not fear the difficulties of this life, but be confident that they also shape our character so that we are more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Strange as it may sound, we should rejoice in tribulations, for they teach us to persist, to persevere, and persistence strengthens our character and assists us in having our hope fortified. And as it is written in the next verse (5): "And hope does not disappoint us, because God poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which he has given us."

Let us live in joy in the adversities of life, persisting, and always having hope alive in our hearts. For the glory of the Eternal God, amen.

Victor Augusto