Hope is the blessed assurance of our future glory. Sin separated us from the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and we were no more what He created us to be like (Hebrews 2:6-9). We became powerless and lost the glory. But while we were still powerless, Jesus Christ became man and died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and came back alive allowing us to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2,6). Along with hope of the future glory, God has also poured out His love in our hearts by giving us The Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). No sufferings in this world can take that love and hope away from us, rather we only experience the glory of God in our sufferings.
Paul was a highly respected man of great authority. When he began to testify about Jesus Christ, he faced oppositions, threats, disrespect and almost death every single day. In a situation as such he says ” I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). He goes on to say “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39). Paul foresaw the glory of God, and all the persecutions he faced in this world did not seem a thing; And God’s love that he poured into paul’s heart made him believe that in all things God works for the good of them who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
The thief (Devil) tries to make us believe that there in no hope like he did with Eve and also makes us doubt the loving character of God (Genesis 3:1-5). The work of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy(John 10:10a). He steals our hope by putting questions in our heart, questions for which we need not know answers to (Deut 29:29).
As we trust in God’s love and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for us, He fills us with joy and peace so that we may abound in hope by the power of The Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Trusting in God’s plan for us no matter what situation we are in right now, adds to our righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
