This chapter is loaded this things to discuss and to study, so we will take it in a few pieces; today, verses 1 through 11.

Think about the depth of these verses:

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings (our struggles, our constantly working to make ourselves better, to conquer sin, to be the person God calls us to be), knowing that suffering produces endurance (in sticking with that struggle, we develop muscles of endurance physically, mentally, spiritually, and we can go longer, fight harder, engage more deeply with God), and endurance produces character (that set of traits that makes us more like Jesus...we move closer and closer to being a reflection of Jesus in the world and to the world), and character produces hope (the faith and the trust that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He’ll do), and hope does not put us to shame (meaning, hope doesn’t leave us wanting...why?...2 reasons:), because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (1 - meaning God will be with us and gives us strength and help). (and, 2 -...) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (...that’s me, that’s you, that’s all of us, the ‘ungodly’...God not only gave us the Holy Spirit, but He gave us the resurrection...an actual event, which to this day is very hard to historically dispute, which is why attacks against our faith tend NOT to be focused on this event).

Then Paul makes the logical argument that it doesn’t make sense for a person to die for sinners, it doesn’t make sense to die for people who’ve rejected you, beaten you, ignored you...why would a person do that?  Only one of two reasons - they are insane or, perhaps, because there is a purpose for it...and the only reasonable purpose we can assume is the purpose that is stated - that this sacrifice by a dude who didn’t deserve it is a stand-in for us, for what we actually deserve.   That’s awesome.

For today, I am just reminded of that process that Paul gives us - that suffering brings endurance and endurance character, and character hope...that this is the process through which we develop.  I wish it could be suffering straight to hope, but it takes time to learn to trust God.  It takes reps.  My spiritual journey definitely demonstrates that...time has certainly help me go deeper, to peel back the layers to my faith, and to develop a stronger hope.  I pray that I remember that when it is hard, and that I remain committed to that journey.