Someone once said God is more concerned with our “character” than our “comfort.” For most American Christians unfortunately, we seem more obsessed with comfort than character building. I find myself guilty far more often than I would like to admit. Romans 5:3-5 reminds us…
“we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Having been under a two week quarantine due to Covid exposure, I’ve been given much time to read. One article I came across recently was about the winter encampment of the Continental Army, under the leadership of General George Washington, and its struggles at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The Revolutionary War had been going for almost two and a half years. Washington had just lost two major battles. In December 1777, the 12,000 soldiers and about 400 women and children built 1500 log huts at Valley Forge to winter and regroup.
It was a very hard season. Starvation and disease took over 2000 men and women. However, it gave Washington and his troupes time to train and plan for future attacks. Some think this was the turning point of the war. Without the Valley Forge experience, the possible outcome of the war might have been different.
We all have winters in our lives—sickness, loss of a loved one, joblessness, economic downturns, Covid19—during these challenging times God can work in us to produce the fruits He desires. Adversity can breed cynicism and defeat or optimistic fortitude and a character of resolve. Where do we find hope amidst the uncertainty, melancholy, and gloom in which we find ourselves? Jesus Christ! Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV). Cling to this Hope!
The passage from Romans reminds us, suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. God brings prosperity and adversity into our lives for His sovereign purposes. We may not see the reasoning in the middle of the struggle, but on the other side hopefully we will in retrospect see what our wise God had in mind.
Trust Him today as He leads, no matter how difficult the journey! Remember, God is building character, rather than guaranteeing us a life of wealth and prosperity. Our Hope is in Him!