Growth in Trials
And patience, experience; and experience, hope. Romans 5:4 KJV
Feeling inadequate is a bad feeling. As people, we long to be in charge and in control of our surroundings. However, through experience, we learn that nothing is really in our control. God ordains everything as it happens, and while we follow His commands and make life decisions, we realize how insignificant we are. From this realization wells up a spring of hope. There is nothing to be anxious about because God is the One Who is in control. He is reigning over all things now and forever. So we have no need to fret or feel inadequate. Instead, we are simply to “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” Psalm 37:3
The Apostle Paul tells us that tribulation works patience in our lives, which in turn gives us experience and hope. These words are comforting to young people who haven’t experienced all of life’s ups and downs yet. A new job, a new relationship, or a new house can all make a young person joyful, but also anxious. Setbacks occur on a daily basis; however, these setbacks give us experience to know how to trust God in our hectic lives. As we learn to trust God, more and more, instead of leaning on our own understanding, we develop hope for the future. And hope is a virtue we must all strive for as Christians. And what could give us more hope than knowing the forgiveness and love our Saviour showers us with? God is a loving Father and friend to us as we stumble through life seeking to honor Him in our actions.
All honor, praise, and majesty
To Father, Son, and Spirit be,
Our God forever glorious,
In whose rich grace
We’ll run our race
Till we depart victorious.
The Lutheran Hymnal 524:7