We recently started a new sermon series called "What Hope Feels Like," diving into the biblical concept of hope and how it shapes our lives as believers. Last week, my husband did a phenomenal job kicking off the series by unpacking Romans chapter 5. But this week, I wanted to take us a bit further into Romans 8 to examine what hope looks like in the midst of suffering and difficulty.
So many of us carry burdens and face challenges that can weigh us down and cause us to lose sight of hope. Whether it's a small frustration or a deeply painful circumstance, we all experience seasons where hope seems elusive. Yet Scripture reassures us that our hope in Christ will not disappoint us - no matter how bleak things may seem in the moment. Our passage today gives us a profound picture of the restoration we can anticipate as God's children.
The Weight of Suffering
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[b] for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
Romans 8:18-25 (NLT)
This passage from Romabs acknowledges that we all carry various burdens and difficulties in this life. Whether it's something seemingly small (like a hangnail) or something deeply challenging (like a crisis of faith or mental health struggle), we all experience seasons of suffering. Paul's words remind us that "what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory [God] will reveal to us later" (Romans 8:18).
It's easy to get bogged down in our present circumstances, but Scripture points us to the future hope we have in Christ. God promises to reveal His glory to us and make sense of our suffering in a way that outweighs the pain we've experienced.
The Groaning of Creation
Paul then takes us on a journey through the past, reminding us that "all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are" (Romans 8:19). From the very beginning, sin marred God's perfect creation, subjecting it to a curse it never asked for. Yet even nature itself "looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay" (Romans 8:21).
Imagine the beauty and perfection of the world before sin entered the picture. No sickness, no death, no natural disasters – everything worked in harmony, just as God intended. But because of humanity's disobedience, creation now "groans in the pains of childbirth" (Romans 8:22), longing for the day when it will be restored to its former glory.
Our Groaning and God's Promises
As believers, we share in this groaning, longing "for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering" (Romans 8:23). We were not created to experience the ripple effects of sin, and our souls cry out for the redemption and restoration only God can provide.
Yet even in our grief and pain, we have a hope that sets us apart from those who don't know Christ. We "wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us" (Romans 8:23). Our earthly struggles are temporary, but the glory that awaits us in eternity is eternal.
The Hope of Restoration
So what does it feel like to live in this hope of restoration? For me, it's a sense of anticipation, knowing that God has promised to make all things new. It's a confidence that, even when circumstances seem bleak, our Father is working behind the scenes, weaving together a tapestry of beauty and redemption.
We were "given this hope when we were saved" (Romans 8:24), and though we may not fully understand or experience it in this lifetime, we can "wait patiently and confidently" (Romans 8:25) for the day when God's promises will be realized in their fullness.
The Invitation to Hope
Perhaps you're reading this, and the concept of hope feels foreign or elusive. Maybe you've experienced such deep pain and loss that the idea of restoration seems like a cruel joke. I understand those feelings all too well, and I want you to know that you're not alone.
In my own journey of grief and suffering, I've wrestled with doubts and questions about God's character and promises. But time and again, I've found that when I bring my raw emotions and honest thoughts to Him, He meets me with unconditional love and gentle reassurance.
You see, our hope isn't rooted in our own strength or understanding – it's rooted in the unchanging nature of our Heavenly Father. As Titus 3:5-7 reminds us, "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy… so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
My friend, that hope is available to you today. It doesn't matter what you've done or how far you've strayed – God's arms are open wide, inviting you into a relationship with Him and a future filled with restoration and redemption.
Will you say "yes" to that invitation? Will you choose to place your hope in the One who created you, who loves you unconditionally, and who longs to restore all that sin has broken?
The journey ahead may not be easy, but you don't have to walk it alone. Surround yourself with a community of believers who can encourage and support you along the way. Study God's Word and allow His promises to take root in your heart. And above all, cling to the hope that one day, every tear will be wiped away, and you will experience the fullness of restoration in the presence of your Savior.
Until then, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him (Romans 15:13).
