Let Trials Grow You Stronger and Hope Lead You Home

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
—Romans 5:2 ESV

I stand on a raft
in an ocean of grace.
Challenges come.
Yet hope emerges
as a lifeline
to the distant shore.
I cling to that rope, and though
blisters burn and winds blow,
callouses grow me stronger, and
rough winds
take me
home.

Having been raised on a farm, I have vivid memories of blisters wrought from hoeing weeds out of gardens and crops. The blisters would eventually turn into callouses and served to make the inner parts of my hands stronger and more adept to farm work.

Callouses grown in the spring could help with chores throughout the growing season. My hands weren't necessarily pretty, but they were prepared for what needed to be done. I was stronger because of them.

In much the same way, sufferings serve to make us stronger.  

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" ( Romans 5:3-5 ESV).

Sufferings produce perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope. And hope will not put us to shame. If our hope is in God, we can trust that the outcome is in His good hands. That He is growing us for His good purposes. That whatever happens can be worked for good. (Romans 8:28-29 ESV).

So take heart. Today's trials are growing you stronger. Hold tightly to hope, and don't ever let go. Those rough winds are sending you to your Savior.

An easy-breezy life would get you nowhere.

Lord, thank you that you see us and You know the struggle is real. Help us to hold onto the rope of hope You extend. Someday, we will reach that distant shore. Someday, we'll be forever home. May our hands be calloused from the journey because we held onto hope, and didn't let go. In Jesus' name, Amen.