How can we rejoice when we suffer? Where is hope in chronic illness or gripping anxiety? How do we persevere with uncertain finances, insufferable coworkers, struggling loved ones, or whatever else we face?

In Romans 5:3-5 Paul doesn’t say, “Just deal with it. Toughen up!” He says,

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.“

We can rejoice because suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope.

Suffering Produces Perseverance

Without suffering, we wouldn’t need to persevere. We wouldn’t have to push ourselves to keep going.

God allows suffering in our lives because we learn to become strong as we trust Him when we don’t see a way out. We learn to keep going even when we feel like quitting.

The storms of suffering are hard. When rain beats down on us, we wonder if the sun will ever shine again. And yet we need rain. Without it the ground becomes parched and desert-like, completely barren. Suffering softens our hearts to persevere.

Sometimes persevering means putting one foot in front of the other with a heart that is aching, breaking, or just numb, and trusting God will hold us together.

But it’s wonderful when we find joy in the suffering.

When I was a little girl in New Delhi, India, the summer heat would reach an almost unbearable 49° Celsius (120° F). But then, every summer after the extreme heat, the warm monsoon rains arrived. While others hated the incessant downpour, I ran outside and splashed through the puddles, rejoicing in the fun of water splattering all around me.

God invites us to look for His good, even in the suffering. And to persevere.

Perseverance produces Character

Suffering produces perseverance, which produces character.

Bosses who hire people based on their skill alone make a huge mistake. Vital character qualities of truthfulness, integrity, courage, justice, kindness, and humility are not learned through unending successes, but rather in the hard times when we choose to persevere.

A friend once said the true test of character is what we emit when jabbed by hurtful words or circumstances—poison, or perfume. Poison spews angry words, hurtful actions, and stinky attitudes. Perfume blesses others with love, kindness, and humility.

When God allows us to face difficult times, He invites us to persevere and to grow in character—to be more like Him, becoming better instead of bitter, fragrant instead of poisonous.

Character Produces Hope

Suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope.

Our hope is not a mirage or castle in the sky. It doesn’t let us down like wishing to win the lottery or longing for a stress-free life.

It is solid and firm because hope’s foundation is God’s love, which His Spirit pours into our hearts (Rom. 5:5). When God makes promises, He keeps them.

Eugene Land, a self-made millionaire, greatly impacted the future of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem, New York.

“Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these… children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. “Stay in school,” he admonished, “and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you.” At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, “I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling.” Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.”[1]

Having something sure to look toward helps us endure the present. Our ultimate hope and promise of joy is one day being in heaven with Jesus, but we also have hope for His goodness in this life. Whatever our circumstances, He pours his love into our hearts, filling us with hope.

When we struggle and want to quit, we can trust God to reveal His goodness in the suffering. He helps us persevere, grow in character, and cling to the sure hope of heaven, where we will never suffer again. And He invites us to believe that He loves us, even in the pain. He will help us trust Him in our difficulties and reach out to help others.

God leads us on a journey from suffering to hope!