SUFFERING / HOPE

Ro 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

Ro 5:4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Ro 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Some of the things that we perceive as bad are being used to help the common good of all, and in doing that, we feel better about ourselves. There is not a feeling in the world that is better, than one of helping someone feel a sense of hope through their trials. It provides a sense of unity with others, and an avenue to help them. Life Experiences that in our perception were bad, or felt really bad at that time, while it hurts us initially, we either grow the most during these times or are able to help someone else, council them, heal their hurts and give them hope. Because we have been there, our testimony allows them to trust that we have seen God come through for us, and it can be the same for them. We also learn a lot about ourselves when we teach others. It allows us to re-live those learned lessons and keep them fresh in our minds, to keep us from falling back into old destructive patterns. This is why we are urged to keep Christian Community.