![]() ![]() As the story goes, ‘We can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, we’ve got to go through it.’ Paul’s letter to the Romans reminds us that we know that suffering produces perseverance. We discover skills we didn’t know we had and levels of energy or strength we hadn’t realised we were capable of. We learn that we can swish through fields of tall grass, stumble through dark forests or beat a path through a howling snow storm. That journey through the difficult bits takes us through new experiences. We can sit down, our journey stalled by the struggle ahead, or we can pull on our wellies and squelch on through. When we’re faced with suffering – our muddy field on the way to finding the bear – we have a choice about how we face it. For those of you not familiar with the story, a family set out on a bear hunt but their adventure is plagued with challenges, from long swishy grass to roaring rivers and even a snowstorm. In fact I often describe it as being one of the books that has been the most influential in my faith in recent years. One of my favourite books is Michael Rosen’s ‘ We’re going on a bear hunt’ (you can take the girl out of primary teaching but…). And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.’ Suffering produces perseverance Not only so, but let us also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance, character and character, hope. And let us boast in the hope of the glory of God. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy without holiness no one will see the Lord. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. ![]() ![]() How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ![]() 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline God is treating you as sons. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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. ![]()
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