Seeing the good

Romans 5:3-4

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produce hope"

In several versions of the Bible, the word for suffering is translated "tribulation." This comes from the Latin word tribulum, which was taken from the name of a piece of farm equipment used during New Testament times.

A tribulum was a heavy piece of timber with spikes in it that was drawn over newly picked grain. It separated the valuable grain from the worthless chaff. Tribulation, or suffering, does the same thing to our character. It sifts it, helping us sort out what's truly important in life from whats of little value.

As our character grows stronger, so does our hope. Experiencing firsthand how God can use difficult circumstances in a positive way solidifies our hope for the future as it strengthens our trust in him.

When dealing with tough times we must have faith.

Hebrews 11:1-2

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation."

Faith and belief are two different things. I think lots of people believe in God, but that belief makes no difference in their lives. Faith I feel acts on what it believes. Faith may look like a 'leap' to those who don't want to risk putting their trust in something unseen. But I feel through faith, what is unseen is far from unknown. As I respond to the Bible and God's Spirit, my faith continues to grow stronger. My personal experience confirms that God is everything he says he is.