Romans 8:18-30

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

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Romans‬ ‭8:18-30

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Today’s reading is filled with hope. But not just any kind of hope that we are often used to. Such as I hope it’s sunny tomorrow but I don’t really know if it will be sunny tomorrow. No, this is a hope that we can fully expect because we put our hope in Christ who we can fully trust. 

There’s so many things that is going on with our lives and so many sufferings. Whether it be virtual school, fitting in, annoying bosses, missed opportunities etc. you name it. There’s so many things that our sinful world throws at us. But what’s the point in dwelling in these sufferings? We know that God came to us in the form of flesh so that he can free us from eternal death and we are able to live with him in glory in eternity. Like how the reading started, all these sufferings that we are currently experiencing are nothing compared to what God has in store for us. 

It’s hard sometimes to look pass the present especially when there’s so many distractions and all the sufferings and impacts of sin are blurring our minds to where we should put our focus on. The pain, our weakness, our humanness is so real we can’t avoid it. But it’s also comforting to know that The Holy Spirit is always with us and He knows and feels what we are experiencing. God has paved the way for us so that we can directly run to Him. We can always look to God who we can call Father and cry out to. This is an invitation to bring all our sufferings to Him and fully surrender ourselves to Christ. We can put our true expectant hope in Him and trust that He can free us. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”