Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;
3 sermons cite this verse
… everything in the world. So here's what I recommend you do. Focus on your character, not the changes in society, not the circumstances around you. Romans 8, excuse me, Romans 5, verses 3 and 4. It's up here on the screen. We can rejoice even in our troubles. and our struggles, troubles and struggles. Does that sound familiar? He says we can rejoice even in our troubles and struggles because we know, this is wisdom, that they teach us, we learn endurance. That we learn endurance, they teach us endurance. And endurance develops strength of character and character creates hope. I want you to notice a couple things. about this verse, okay? Number one, notice that life is a struggle. Everybody agree with that? Life's tough. We shouldn't expect it to be any less. We live on a broken planet. This is not heaven. There's no struggle in heaven. This is earth. Everything's a struggle on earth. We can rejoice even in our struggles and troubles. By the way, have you ever wondered why our relentless? The answer is, is because God wants to change us and we don't want to change. …
God has a good purpose for my valley. Romans 5 verse 3 and top 5. We can even rejoice in our suffering knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and that kind of hope does not disappoint us. There are a lot of kinds of hope in the world that are false hope. This kind of hope does not disappoint us because God has poured his love into our hearts. God is building character when you're going through that valley. And that character is gonna outlast everything else. Stephen Curtis Chapman has just written a new book, and it's called Between Heaven and the Real World. And he discusses all the valleys he's been through, including the loss of a child. We're in a club that nobody wants to be a part of. And he says this in an interview. Jesus tells us, in this world, you will have trouble. It's fact. but then he says take heart because I've overcome the world he's saying that there's another story being told that we don't always see and frankly Stephen says if I didn't believe that I'd be an extremely bitter and angry man my little girl's death underlined and solidified what I knew and believed but it made it more real and when there was nothing else to hold on to I heard myself say, God, I'm going to trust you and worship you, and it's not because there's an audience watching. …
… But here's going to get good in verse 3. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations. What? What type of Navy SEAL language is this? But we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. and perseverance, character, and character, hope. But let me stop right there. That word perseverance is an interesting Greek word, and it is from two words, hypomone, hypomone, and it means, those two words means to abide under, to abide under. So these trials are producing something in me. I'm getting something out of it. Oh, I feel it right there. What's that phrase? I'm leaving here with something. Some of y'all know what I'm talking about. It's not happening to you. It's happening for you. because something is happening in you and you are becoming qualified to stand in the times to come. And not just to stand, but to still do business. When your neighbor is crumbling, when your family is falling apart, when everything around you is shaking, you are still going to be able to do business because of what God is developing in you. …