Thanks to Jesus, you can persevere through everyday stress with a bright outlook.
SHAUNA: Hi, I’m Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. And today Joni has a Bible verse that you know well.
JONI: And here it is. Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Now, that’s a verse that should be taped to every refrigerator, or pinned to every corkboard, or cross-stitched and framed on every little bedside table. Because it is one of those verses that really helps you keep perspective.
Well, I remember such a day, I was all ready to go to work and as I powered my wheelchair onto the mechanical lift of my van, I pressed the toggle switch to raise the lift, and nothing happened. It broke. My dear friend, who was standing by nicely dressed for work, had to hand-crank the lift with me on it. And that was no easy feat. Plus, I made her late to work. That was the same day my corset snapped a fastener, two people canceled important appointments, my computer erased two pages of work, and I broke a tooth. I immediately had to go to the dentist, only to suffer his accidentally cracking another tooth right next to the broken one. Yikes!
Can you identify? You know how it is. The cost of living is sky-high. You can’t get a loan rate you can afford. Washing machines don't last as long as they used to. The mice are back in the garage. Parking is becoming a nightmare. Something is leaking under the sink. Friend, it’s life! Stress is a daily companion, and sometimes you feel like you’re holding the loose ends of your job together, I don’t know, by your fingers and your toes. Well, listen one more time to this 21st century prescription in Romans 8: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Now here’s the part about perspective.
Consider what the Apostle Paul meant by “our present sufferings.” When he wrote those words, Christians weren't facing cost-of-living increases or estimates on repairs they couldn’t afford. They weren’t bummed by all the bugs in their new iPhone operating systems – no. Back then, Christians were counting the cost of their lives. People were living under a cruel system that got its kicks from throwing believers to lions. I mean, there’s a whole list that Paul gives; a list that includes shipwrecks and floggings, and abandonment and jail time. Talk about stress!
But the reason the Apostle Paul could smile was because he had a Romans 8:18 perspective. He knew that his present sufferings were featherweight, lightweight compared to the wonderful, awesome, glad glory that those same sufferings were accruing in heaven on his behalf. So today, I want you to join me in thanking the Lord for giving us his Romans 8:18 perspective on our problems today. The struggles we face just are not worth comparing to the trials of the early church. With heavenly hope, you can’t help but persevere through every problem with a bright outlook on life. All of it, thanks to Jesus!
SHAUNA: Listening friend, I sure hope these encouraging words bolster your spirits today. Because even with all our problems, there is no reason to think you are missing out on God's plan for your life. He still has good plans for you! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. And remember, if you ever need more inspiration, just go to joniradio.org where you’ll find this program and so much more. That’s joniradio.org!
© Joni and Friends