REJOICING IN SUFFERING

Lectonary Passage: Romans 5:3-5 (RSV) - More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

We Christians can rejoice in suffering, with heart and soul,
because we know that ultimately God is in control.
We don't, of course, rejoice in others' suffering but ours,
        and that we can do only by God's providential powers.  
In faith we therefore understand that suffering can build
endurance that a Christian needs to live as God has willed.
Endurance builds one's character, and character builds hope,
and we will not be disappointed ever by that hope,
because we know that God can work for good in everything;
and that is why we can rejoice, even in suffering.