perserverance
Sometime during our 4 day backpacking trip, George decided that we should remember a verse together. I think it was at the point when both of us were really tired and didn’t know if we wanted to continue on. The verse he picked was Romans 5:3-4.
Romans 5:3-4
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
At that point, I guess we were suffering. But we continued to press on. I wouldn’t say we rejoiced in our sufferings, but I’m pretty sure it produced perserverance and character. Hope I’m not too sure of. How does marching on when you’re tired and weary produce hope? Well actually, what caused us to continue on was the thought/hope of buffet or a big juicy burger at the end of the hike.
In general though, in the biblical context it seems that suffering produces hope because in the end we have hope that our sufferings are not futile, that there will be a reward for persevering through our trials and suffering. The reward of course is much better than the big buffet or the big juicy burger, and comes with none of the regrets. =P
