To encourage the struggling believers in Rome, Paul advises , ” [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings”. Very few of us have learned to experience this level of spirituality as a way of life. To be told to rejoice in troubles sounds a bit ludicrous, and doesn’t make sense in the natural, only in our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ will this truth be comprehended. Nonetheless,  God desires to give each of us His unmerited grace, so we can continue to mature and move forward in our life’s journey. It may sound a bit extreme, but it is God’s will to develop His children into amazing spiritual souls! So when trouble comes, we are told we can triumph and rejoice because pressure, affliction, and hardship will produce patient, unshakable, and enduring faith in our hearts. A patient, enduring heart develops mature character, and this sort of character produces joy and hope! The truth is this: God will work good into our lives by using the troubles and affliction that our souls enemy(Satan) intends for our spiritual demise. We can always trust in the wisdom of God- His love- and what He is using to create good in our lives!

“Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance [fortitude] develops maturity of character [approved faith and tried integrity]. And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5: 3-5).