Hope That Doesn't Disappoint
by Joel Bidderman
Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
I appreciate this Scripture because it reminds me that hope shows up in the process of living - with the hardships and tragedies. Sure, it’d be great if hope came first in the list, before the trials. But it is through the trials that we experience something beautiful. This is not an invitation to spiritual bypassing, where we ignore the reality of difficulties and hardships, and cling to pithy, Christiany sounding sentiments. Rather, there’s something deeper going on here .
The First Nations Version, I believe, offers us some clarity in this idea, as we look at this passage in greater context.
1This good standing we have brings peace with the Great Spirit. This peace comes from trusting in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One and what he has done for us. 2Our trust in him opens the way into Creator’s great kindness and is now the solid ground on which we stand. Now our boasting is in him, as we look forward to being the kind of people the Great Spirit created us to be, a people filled with his beauty and shining-greatness.
3-4But we must also find joy in our sufferings on his behalf. For we know that when the trail gets rough, we must walk with firm steps to reach the end. As we walk firmly in his footprints, we gain the strength of spirit that we need to stay true to the path. 5This gives us the hope we need to reach the end of the trail with honor. All of this is because of Creator’s great love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is his gift to us from above. (Romans 5:1-5, FNV)
Being Kingdom of God people in the empires of this world, means that we are living for something different - counter to the drives of power, control, and excess. We are stepping into the Kingdom of Heaven (or as the First Nations Version puts it - Creator’s Good Road), as we experience in Jesus, through His Spirit, a new way of being human. We are growing into the kind of people the Great Spirit has created us to be, filled with His beauty and shining-greatness (glory). It is within that context that our hardships are given meaning and clarity in our formation. We come to the awareness of Immanuel, God with us, living, and breathing, and empowering us by this “great love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is his gift to us from above.”
The First Nations Version, I believe, offers us some clarity in this idea, as we look at this passage in greater context.
1This good standing we have brings peace with the Great Spirit. This peace comes from trusting in Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One and what he has done for us. 2Our trust in him opens the way into Creator’s great kindness and is now the solid ground on which we stand. Now our boasting is in him, as we look forward to being the kind of people the Great Spirit created us to be, a people filled with his beauty and shining-greatness.
3-4But we must also find joy in our sufferings on his behalf. For we know that when the trail gets rough, we must walk with firm steps to reach the end. As we walk firmly in his footprints, we gain the strength of spirit that we need to stay true to the path. 5This gives us the hope we need to reach the end of the trail with honor. All of this is because of Creator’s great love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is his gift to us from above. (Romans 5:1-5, FNV)
Being Kingdom of God people in the empires of this world, means that we are living for something different - counter to the drives of power, control, and excess. We are stepping into the Kingdom of Heaven (or as the First Nations Version puts it - Creator’s Good Road), as we experience in Jesus, through His Spirit, a new way of being human. We are growing into the kind of people the Great Spirit has created us to be, filled with His beauty and shining-greatness (glory). It is within that context that our hardships are given meaning and clarity in our formation. We come to the awareness of Immanuel, God with us, living, and breathing, and empowering us by this “great love that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is his gift to us from above.”
Questions:
- In what ways are you experiencing hardship right now?
- What would it look like to walk the Creator’s Good Road in that situation or area of life? [Practically, it often looks like intentionally participating in the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that we have access to through the Holy Spirit]
Action:
Practice the act of quieting today through the exercise of breath prayer:
*Learn more about breath prayer, HERE
- Breathe in - “In Christ alone”
- Breathe out - “My soul finds rest”
*Learn more about breath prayer, HERE