Present-Age Problems

By |Published On: February 23, 2018|Categories: 4-Minute Radio Program|

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a Bible verse that you know well.

And here it is: Romans chapter 8, verse 18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Now that’s a verse that should be taped to every refrigerator, or pinned to every corkboard, or cross-stitched and framed on every little bedside table. Because it is one of those verses that really helps you keep perspective.

Well I remember such a day… I was all ready to go to work and as I powered my wheelchair onto the mechanical lift of my van, I pressed the toggle switch to raise the lift and… nothing happened. It broke. My dear friend, who was standing by nicely dressed for work, had to hand-crank the lift with me on it. That was no easy feat… plus, I made her late to work. That was the same day my corset snapped a fastener, two people canceled important appointments, my computer erased two pages of work, and, I broke a tooth. I immediately had to go to the dentist, only to suffer his accidentally cracking another tooth right next to the broken one. Yikes!

Can you identify? The cost of living is sky-high. You can’t get a loan rate you can afford. Washing machines don’t last as long as they used to. The mice are back in the garage. Parking is becoming a nightmare. Something is leaking under the sink. Friend, it’s life! Stress is a daily companion, and sometimes you feel like you’re holding the loose ends of your job together, I don’t know, by your fingers and your toes. Well, listen one more time to this twentieth-first century prescription in Romans chapter 8, verse 18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Now here’s the part about perspective…  

Consider what the apostle Paul meant by “our present sufferings.” When he wrote those words, Christians weren’t facing cost-of-living increases or estimates on repairs that they couldn’t afford. They weren’t bummed by all the bugs in their new iPhone operating systems. No. Back then, Christians were counting the cost of their lives. People were living under a cruel system that got its kicks from throwing believers to lions. There’s a whole list that Paul gives; a list that includes shipwrecks and floggings, abandonment and jail time. Talk about stress!

But the reason the apostle Paul could smile was because he had a Romans 8:18 perspective. He knew that his present sufferings were featherweight, lightweight compared to the wonderful, awesome, glad glory that those same sufferings were accruing in heaven on his behalf. So today, I want you to join me in thanking the Lord for giving us His Romans 8:18 perspective on our problems today. The struggles we face just are not worth comparing to the trials of the early church – my goodness, they aren’t worthy to be even compared with the glory that will one day be revealed in us. With hope like that, you can’t help but persevere through every problem with a bright outlook on life. All of it, thanks to Jesus!

Listen, I hope these encouraging words bolster your spirits today. And don’t forget that today is your last chance to pick up your free gift, a booklet called “Guidance from God.” Because with all our problems, there is no cause to think you are missing out on God’s plan for your life. So, pick up your copy of “Guidance” today at joniandfriends.org/radio. And hey, if you need more inspiration, you just have to go to my blog today at joniandfriends.org. Again, that’s my blog at joniandfriends.org.

© Joni and Friends

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