“Let us rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Romans 5:3
Six months ago, Ken and I began our home remodeling project with big plans, high hopes, and glorious visions. Believe me, the glory has departed. It stopped being fun two weeks ago. Gone are the days when optimism oozed.
For the past four months, Ken has been sleeping in the middle of our living room surrounded by boxes covered with plastic sheeting, covered in turn by a quarter inch of drywall dust. I’ve remained in our bedroom, despite the floor-to-ceiling plyboard that’s smack up against the mattress. Somewhere between wrangling over the color of stain for the ceiling molding and that night when we almost lost it at Carpets-R-Us, we knew we needed help. No, not with a second mortgage or an interior decorator or a marriage counselor. What we needed was a new perspective. Our gratitude had grown tired, and we needed grace.
We found it when we stumbled across today’s verse, Romans 5:3. There is something wonderfully man-sized about the apostle’s response to his hardships. Stand the test, friends, for the end is in sight. Hope is on the horizon. A right approach to problems — whether great or small — is a wonderful thing to have hammered into your character.
Sometimes we think of the suffering in Romans 5 as the huge life catastrophes. We forget that God’s grace-giving power is mostly for everyday sorts of tests and trials — like adding square footage to your home.
What are your tests today? Where do you need perseverance, staying-power, and hope? Ask God to help you step back and see a bigger picture than the trial right in front of your nose. He uses everything in our lives to mold our character and make us more like His Son.
Just for today, Lord, keep me and guide me, just for today. For the next twenty-four hours, fill me with the grace to face each setback with patience and joy beyond my own.
