Are You Praising God For Your Tribulation?

Paul ends Romans 5:2 with exaltation and praise to God for the hope that we have received through the atoning work of Christ. It is easy to praise God for the works of Christ. After all, He is the One who took on our punishment and suffered and died. We have received all that God requires for salvation. No works required. We have much for which to praise God. We should never forget or take for granted what God in Christ does for those who believe! But, when we look further into this passage, we learn that not only are we to glory in God for His gift of grace, but we are also to exult or glory in our tribulations! I sometimes forget to praise God for His gift of grace. I do not praise and honor Him as I should for my tribulations. Are You praising God for your tribulation?  

The Spirit of Christ is instructing us to praise God for our tribulations. He gives us three reasons to do so in Romans 5:3-4. 

Exult In Hope EXULT IN TRIBULATION

Exult Means: To rejoice, feel great delight, joyful confidence. We are to joy in the privilege of God in tribulation. Until reading and studying through this chapter, I never thought of tribulation or suffering as a privilege. How about you? Exulting or rejoicing in our tribulation expresses an unusually high degree of confidence in God for what he has done and is doing. He who began the good work in us will carry it on to completion. Philippians 1:6. Through many tribulations. 

Three Fruits of Tribulation

Romans 5:3-4 says this, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character hope;

God’s ordained tribulation produces this,

1. Perseverance
2. Proven Character
3. Hope

What is tribulation? It is distress, a trial, an ordeal, or an affliction. The word means: To crush, press together, hem in. It conveys the idea of being squeezed or placed under pressure or crushed beneath a weight. When we find ourselves in distress, a trial or affliction God is refining and molding us into the image of His Son. He is breaking our self-sufficiency and building trust in Him. 

I have had a hard year. Tribulation abounded, and from situations, I never dreamed would occur. The tearing away of the flesh is hard. But I have learned this. Sanctification, through the use of tribulation, is hard but not harsh. God is good and gracious as He moves us closer to Himself. 

Praising God For Your Tribulation

Paul ends Romans 5:2 with exaltation and praise to God for the hope that we have received through the atoning work of Christ. It is easy to praise God for the works of Christ. After all, He is the One who took on our punishment and suffered and died. We have received all that God requires for salvation. No works required. We have much for which to praise God. We should never forget or take for granted what God in Christ does for those who believe! But, when we look further into this passage, we learn that not only are we to glory in God for His gift of grace, but we are also to exult or glory in our tribulations! I sometimes forget to praise God for His gift of grace. I do not praise and honor Him as I should for my tribulations. 

The Spirit of Christ is instructing us to praise God for our tribulations. He gives us three reasons to do so in Romans 5:3-4. 

Exult In Hope EXULT IN TRIBULATION

Exult Means: To rejoice, feel great delight, joyful confidence. We are to joy in the privilege of God in tribulation. Until reading and studying through this chapter, I never thought of tribulation or suffering as a privilege. How about you? Exulting or rejoicing in our tribulation expresses an unusually high degree of confidence in God for what he has done and is doing. He who began the good work in us will carry it on to completion. Philippians 1:6. Through many tribulations. 

 Tribulation Works in Us Patience

Harry Ironside explains that “tribulation works patience” if we accept it as from our loving Lord Himself, knowing it is for our blessing. Out of patient endurance springs fragrant Christian experience, as the soul learns how wonderfully Christ can sustain in every circumstance. And experience blossoms into hope, weaning the heart from the things of earth and occupying them with the heavenly scene to which we are hastening.

Perseverance brings about proven Character. 

Look at how Ray Stedman explains this– We have all seen the tire advertisements on television. A car is equipped with four tires and is put through horrendous tests — driven through desert sands, bogs, swamps, and marshes, driven over rough, hard, cobblestone roads, over roads with holes and chuck-holes, over boards studded with nails. The tire is twisted and pulled and stretched in every direction, and you are amazed at what that tire can take! After the test is over, they hold the tire up and it looks like it’s never been out of its wrapping! Then the ad comes: “Buy Sock’em Tires! They’re tested, proven!” Now that is what this word character means. God is building you up so he can hold you up and say, “He’s approved, he’s tested.” God is in the process of making veterans. I have always liked that word. A veteran has been through something and has been tested and proven.

Proven Character brings about hope.

Look at how Ray Steadman describes this work:

Ray Stedman– “Suffering produces character. Character (gradually growing into true manhood and womanhood) makes us hope, for we see that the job is being done, and we know that God is at work and that we need not stand at last ashamed and disappointed before Jesus Christ when he comes. All this, Paul says, is because God loves us — so, when suffering comes, it is not a mark of God’s anger; it is a mark of his love.

Hope Does Not disappoint

And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

Why does hope not disappoint? The word because is going to bring us to a conclusion or a result. This is the result, the LOVE of God has been poured out into our hearts!

The Holy Spirit of God pours God’s love into our hearts that we may not grow weary or faint! We know that our tribulations are producing for us an eternal weight of glory.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Let Endurance Have It’s Perfect Result

James 1:4 tells us to let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Dear Ones, If you are in a trial right now, do not lose heart. Your Tribulation is producing for you:

• An Eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17)
• A steadfast Hope( Romans 5:5)
• The peaceful fruit of righteousness(Hebrews 12:11)

Tribulation produces a hope that does not put us to shame but stands us up by faith in the grace of God!