Rom 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer
It was a struggle to be a Christian in Rome during Paul’s day. There was widespread persecution, people lost their jobs, and there was infighting in the church. Paul wanted to give them some tips on how to cope when things are going well. If anyone was qualified to give this advice, it would be Paul. In this verse alone, he gives us three very solid tips on how to endure tough times.
The first thing that Paul tells us to do when things aren’t going well is to rejoice in hope. You may be asking what it means to rejoice. Simply put, it means to give back some of the joy God has given you. David says in Psalm 51, “Return to me the joy of my salvation.” When you are struggling, it helps to focus on the good. For us as Christians, it means remembering the joy of our salvation and thanking God for it. No matter how bad things get, it will get better. We rejoice in hope because Jesus has rescued us from death, filled us with peace and joy, and set our eternal destination. All of those give us hope. So rejoice in hope over what has happened and what is to come.
The second thing that Paul tells us to do when things aren’t going well is to be patient in tribulation. This may sound obvious, but you would be amazed at what people do when tough times hit. Being patient and waiting is often the hardest thing to do because you are left to your thoughts and all the wrong that is happening. Let’s be honest. We often make things worse when we are impatient. Many times God is waiting for the right timing to work and just needs us to wait. Instead of reacting, take a couple of deep breaths. It will give perspective and take the emergency down a couple of notches.
The final thing to do when things aren’t going well is to be in constant prayer. Constant means continual. If you are struggling, you need to go to God continually. Not just daily, sometimes hourly. Be like the persistent widow who wouldn’t give the judge a break until she got justice. What did Jesus say? If the judge, who didn’t care for this widow, gave her justice, how much more will God show you favor? Go to God and lay bare your heart. Tell Him everything and ask for resolution. Something powerful will happen in your heart. When we rejoice in hope, are patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer, we will find the burden becomes lighter.
