100 Days of HopeSample

Finding Joy In Suffering

We often hear the phrase “when the going gets tough, the tough get going,” which says that those with fortitude of character are the ones who make it through the hard times. However, the Bible says something a little different. It adds a new factor into the equation: hope.

Our ability to “rejoice in our sufferings” should come not from confidence in our own strength, but from a hope that is found only in the Lord. Hope means having faith in the unseen. In a world that emphasizes empirical evidence as the only path to belief, true hope is a rare and fragile thing. Yet if we must put our faith in something unseen, then there is nothing that we can rely on more unconditionally than God’s love. If we trust only in ourselves, there will always come a time when we feel that we can no longer carry on. We will always stumble and despair when trying to face the world on our own.

But to trust in God’s unfailing love means not only hoping, but knowing that He will carry you through. Always keep this knowledge in your heart, and you will have reason to rejoice even in the deepest suffering.

Prayer: God, help me to remember in times of suffering that I can have confidence in your strength. Remind me I simply need to put my hope in you. Thank you for this assurance!