Character Produces Hope
Therefore, since we are justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope
of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our
sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces
character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that
has been given to us.
What makes a shiny apple look so
delicious? The skin, of course. But what is it about
an apple that actually makes it delicious? The juice and
substance inside. That is the “character” of the apple. That “character”
comes out when we squeeze, or mash the apple into apple sauce. So it is with
life. God uses life’s pressures to bring out the sweetness of Christlike character in us. Under pressure, all kinds of
sin come to the surface. We realize our awful potential for sin, and see it as
ugly and tasteless. Under pressure, greed, selfishness, lust, and pride all
come to the surface. Pressure, whether from the outside, or the inside, is a
fact in our fallen world. God controls its intensity and duration so that we can
recognize, confess and renounce the things that obscure Christ’s character
within us.
Tribulation is not something anyone
seeks. But when it comes, the Holy Spirit will use it to create in us,
perseverance, character, and hope. The gem of Christlike
character is formed by pressure and refined by friction.
Our Daily
Bread –