He knows when we don't...

Yesterday in Sunday School Steve directed us to one of his favorite chapters in the bible, Romans 8. As he talked about the first section of the chapter, I read ahead and found one of the most encouraging few verses I think I have ever read.

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

No matter what we deal with in our lives... God has equipt us with His power that will be revealed as we deal with our "present sufferings." I believe it is how we deal with these sufferings that reveal Him... that show us what He can do, and ultimately can show others (through us) the power that He has to change lives and change hearts.

20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Right here, I believe that the Word is saying that God allows bad things to happen to us (creation) as christians, because He wants us to see the freedom that we can have through His glory. We can nothing without him... and that includes dealing with the sufferings in our lives. As we deal with those through Him, we see Him. I can tell you from personal experience, that turning to Him in a time of suffering, knowing that I have the Creator on my side... gives me the strength to deal with the sufferings, and not dwell on them.

22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Everyone complains when the suffering comes... we all do. We all have Why Me moments. But this passage speaks specifically to christian in their complaining (groaning). We pray for God to deliver us, but He already has... We hope for what we already have.

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

I literally sit in awe of verse 26. He knows what we need, when don't. He hears our prayers, when we don't even think them. He knows us when we don't even know ourselves.

wow.

I pray we will all consider this in our times suffering... that He already knows when we don't.

Love y'all,

KC