“Adulting”

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of Godhas been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

Here we see a progression of maturing or growing in faith. Paul is making the connection that we can celebrate suffering because the eventual fruit is hope and the love of God poured out within our hearts. Perhaps most can see how suffering leads to perseverance or endurance, as well as how endurance leads to character, or proven character, i.e. a character that is tested. What may be less obvious is how character leads to hope.

Just as a proper response to repeated suffering leads to endurance, endurance over time conditions a person to respond in a like manner in the future. This predictable response of endurance is character. In other words, character is the right response to adversity that has been developed and refined over time so that becomes second nature. But how does (proven) character lead to hope?

Hope is the longing for what is to come, the embrace of a future expectation. From a believer’s perspective, our life is more than the present and more than what is seen. (For our citizenship is in heaven) As our character develops, we love the world less and less, and love the things of the world less and less. Instead we love more and more that which is unseen and we seek the kingdom of God instead of the earthly kingdom. Our heart begins to turn from the here and now toward our future hope. Of course the kingdom of God starts now and is present wherever His name is hallowed. As believers, we live with both feet grounded in the present because we live in this world, though not of it. However, His kingdom will be fully manifested in the future, and that is where our hope lies. The present, regardless of how good and blessed it may be, will pale in comparison to our future hope.

Because we live in this world, i.e. we are inundated and bombarded by its messages; we’re often caught in the torrent of worldly values. The seen and the material reality incessantly beckon us and is an ever present temptation and danger. The unseen and spiritual reality is often not on our radar. It takes a spiritual sensitivity to see and understand this reality.

The busyness of our life mitigates against us recognizing these truths. Often we are unaware that we are focused on the here and now, that we are entangled by worldly affairs. We happily, or unhappily, ride the wave because everyone else is riding the wave. For the moment, this path is easier.

As believers, our blind following of worldly values is trance like. This trance can be broken by trials and suffering, allowing us to clearly see the spiritual and unseen reality. Suffering gives us pause to stop, think, and refocus. It affords us an opportunity to take stock of life, to lift our heads, which have been focused on the daily grind, and to see the bigger picture, to ask the “why” questions, to evaluate our current course and compare it with the bigger reality (the unseen and eternal). Character is developed by repeated and constant perseverance, sharpening our focus of the unseen reality and the things that are eternal.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor 4:16-18.

In the passage above, Paul makes the direct connection between suffering in this world and the hope of the eternal weight of glory. The suffering is momentary whereas the future weight of glory is eternal. With this proven character, the things which are seen are de-focused and moved to the background and the things which are not seen come into sharper focus. This re-focusing is the commencement for embracing His kingdom while simultaneously forsaking the worldly kingdom. The repetition of trials is akin to the pounding of a pile into the earth. With increasing depth, the pile is solidly anchored in the bedrock. The “pounding” of trials and testing over time reinforces our embrace of His Kingdom and our hope. We become solidly anchored in this hope, an anchor that holds within the veil.

When a believer is first born again, he or she becomes a spiritual baby. The believer must grow and become an adult. My daughter, who is a junior at a local university, mentioned recently how difficult “adulting” was. This was in the context of living in an apartment, paying bills, cooking, finding a better apartment, etc. Proven character comes by “adulting” in the Christian life. It may not be easy but it’s necessary for spiritual maturity. As we mature spiritually, our hope and joy grows. We begin to discover, “In His presence is fullness of joy; in His right hand there are pleasures forever.” Our greatest joy comes not from the things of this world and not even from His blessings. Our greatest joy is God Himself.