Full circle.
Life is a series of full circle experiences, and this scripture encompasses both the highs and lows of those experiences…
Jubilation. Hope.
Patience. Struggle.
And Prayer, the glue that holds our spiritual lives together.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Hope: to expect with confidence.
Oftentimes, hope is the only thing separating us from despair and giving up.
And though they are synonyms, it is important to recognize the difference between quitting (giving up on your relationship with God), and yielding and surrendering to His will, His way, and His plan.
Our surrender to Him is is often the greatest source of our Hope.
Rejoicing in hope… what exactly do that mean?
For me, it means focusing on the wonder of favorable possibilities.
Concentrating on light and goodness instead of darkness.
Embracing moments in life with the confident expectation that I can trust in the outcome.
Hope means digging into my emotional reservoirs of positivity to be refreshed and renewed.
Patience is the ability to endure difficulties and delays without getting angry, upset or complaining.
Patience is all about waiting, with grace.
In times of struggle, hardship and heartache, patience can be the greatest challenge, and the greatest gift to ourselves. Patience and Grace can be borne of faith.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Tribulations are more than the everyday challenges that we all face.
They are better described as extreme hardships- going beyond mere struggle. They represent times of great suffering- whether physical, mental or emotional (or any combination of the three).
Patience during times of tribulation seems a herculean task, however it is those experiences (and how we handle them) which build our character and mature us. (See Romans 5:3-5).
Prayer... the sauce that seasons life, making it that much richer.
Next to my bed, I have a reminder tack on my wall about prayer… part of it reads like this:
“Positive praying is much more powerful than positive thinking. People may rest our help, spurn our appeals and reject our suggestions, but they are powerless against out prayers.”
“Be Constant in Prayer.”
Research has consistently shown that prayer has many benefits.
Prayer tends to elicit positive feelings- hope, thankfulness, compassion and forgiveness, all of which are associated with wellness and healing.
Prayer is a source of self-comfort and self-soothing, especially when experiencing pain, loss, or difficult circumstances.
In the face of uncertainty, it’s hard to know what to say, what to do and how to feel.
The answer is found in Romans 12:12.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
