The Word of God, ever alive and active, is an unending fountain of encouragement and instruction. Today, let us turn our hearts to understanding two profound pathways that lead us to hope: the school of hard knocks and learning from the footsteps of those who have gone before us. Both are illuminated for us in the book of Romans.
1. The School of Hard Knocks
The first pathway to hope starts with suffering, which is the Greek word thlipsis – meaning persecution, affliction, distress, and tribulation; often used as a metaphor for oppression, affliction, and distress such as in war. This is the hard knocks school of experience where we learn from the times when we fall down due to our own mistakes or get knocked down by circumstances in life.
Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
Life is filled with challenges. Sometimes these trials seem insurmountable. Yet, as we trudge through the valley, Psalm 23 reminds us, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” It’s not the hardships, but how we respond to them, that matters. We learn, we grow, and we become stronger. Through enduring these hardships with Christ, we develop a hope rooted deep within our souls, a hope that is unshakable because it is built on the Rock of Ages.
2. Learning from Others
The second pathway to hope is almost a cheat code for life because it jumps over the suffering and tribulations, and arrives directly at endurance, which is the Greek word hupomoné – meaning steadfastness, constancy, and perseverance that is characteristic of a person who cannot be moved from their deliberate purpose and loyalty to faith and holiness by even the greatest trials and sufferings.
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:1-6)
God, in His divine wisdom, has gifted us with the testimonies of saints of old, chronicled in Scripture, to inspire and teach us. From the roll call of the faithful in Hebrews 11 to the examples laid out in 1 Corinthians 10:11, where we are told, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us,” we understand that we can draw hope from their journeys.
Psalm 102:18 affirms this thought: “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.” Our predecessors’ experiences, their victories, and even their mistakes serve as a beacon, lighting our path and pointing us toward hope.
2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us of the power and purpose of Scripture: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” By delving into the stories of those who have gone before us, we can circumvent some of the pitfalls of life, embracing the hope they found in the arms of the Savior.
Drawing it All Together
As we journey in our faith, may we remember the great cloud of witnesses spoken of in Hebrews 12:1-2, “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Beloved, whether we are currently walking through the school of hard knocks or sitting at the feet of our forefathers in faith, let us hold fast to the hope that is set before us in Christ Jesus. Both paths, though different, guide us to the same beautiful destination: a steadfast hope rooted in our Redeemer.
Digging deeper
- Where do I start reading the Bible? – Start by reading about Jesus Christ in the gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and read the letters to the Philippians and Colossians
- Growing from spiritual infancy to maturity in Christ – The importance of growing in grace and knowledge from spiritual infancy to godly adult maturity as a Christian
- Acts 12 when everything seems hopeless – Acts 12: Just when it seems things can’t get any worse, God intervenes. We pray this is that time for the word of God to spread and multiply.
- God’s plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11) – If God had plans of good, with a future and a hope for people who were being punished for disobedience, image what plans he has for you.