Daily Devotional

The Christian life is not promised to be easy, it is not promised that after accepting Christ we will live a comfortable, easy, or prosperous life, contrary to what some prosperity preachers might say. In fact Jesus Himself said “...because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” The fact that we choose to follow Christ we are putting ourselves at odds with the world and therefore we should not expect to have an easy time.

So previous to this statement in Romans, Paul is speaking about the persecution that we can expect as followers of Christ. However he is clear that despite the persecution, the trials, or tribulations, God is still with us. While it may not feel like it sometimes, God’s love never fails, nor are we separated from it. Paul says “What shall we say to these things?” “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” In other words how can anyone accuse us if God who has declared us righteous is the one who judges. Paul states “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

We are going to experience in this life, blessings and cursings, good times and bad times, victories and tribulations, yet despite all these things God is with us and will lift us up by His righteous right hand. Shall any of these things separate us from the love of God? Paul says “shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Yet despite all these things Paul says that he is convinced, or persuaded, that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. No matter what stage of life you are in, what you are going through, whether good or bad, pleasant or painful, nothing shall separate you from the love of God. The love that is manifested in Jesus Christ, who demonstrated love that is greater than any other, in that He gave up His life for us, took our punishment upon Himself, so that we could be saved. In Philippians 1:21 it says “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Despite what you are going through, put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, knowing that our suffering will produce perseverance, and perseverance will produce character, and character will produce hope. Hope in Christ, knowing that our reward is not of this world nor on this earth, but rather our reward is in heaven. We suffer for Christ because He suffered for us. Stand strong in the promises of God as we look for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.