"[L]ET us exult . . . in our hardships, understanding that hardship develops perseverance, and perseverance develops a tested character, something that gives us . . . a hope which will not let us down. . . . " - Romans 5:3-5:6
*(I took the photo at Seawall, Mt. Desert Island, ME, July 2008.)
Paul said a lot of dumb stuff, and a lot of it's in Romans (like 14:2 and 1:26-1:27). Still, he also had some shining moments, and Romans 5:3-5:6 is definitely one of them.
It is often tempting to hide from difficulty or pain. Some people drink, some people bury themselves in work, and so on.
Better to face it head on, though. As Paul notes, by refusing to demure from hardship, we develop the ability to function under fire. Eventually, as we become more used to forging on despite difficulty, our hardships become less scary. "I've faced this before," you say, or "I've faced worse before," or maybe even, "It's never been this bad, but I have done hard things before in my life and this will be no different." As our bad fortune or suffering becomes less daunting, our ability to deal with it improves, and our instinct to run from it diminishes.
Through all this, we arrive, as Paul describes, at "a hope which will not let us down." This hope is, essentially, the absolute knowledge that we can survive what is in front of us.
This is a good time to pompously quote Camus: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."
In the final part of the passage, which I did not quote, Paul goes on to say that this incredible hope -- this invincible summer -- is the result of the Holy Spirit pouring love into our hearts.
I don't buy that.
I think we are the source of our own incredible, unshakable, invincible hope. I think that is why it is so strong within our hearts, because it comes from our hearts. To now pompously quote Emerson: "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
The ever-reliable hope described by Paul is the ultimate peace, and as Emerson noted, that can only come from oneself. That is why the perseverance born of hardship leads to the tested character, which delivers enduring hope.
Here we arrive at the ultimate meaning of the passage: only by tackling our difficulties head-on, can we achieve true peace within ourselves.
Sometime during our sophomore year in college, my friend Nikki highlighted the passage in my New Jerusalem Bible. It was certainly a year of hardships for each of us, and also (because of September 11) for the nation. We often stayed up all night, sitting in my dorm room. Sometimes, during those nights, we read and discussed the Bible. Romans 5:3-5:6 was her favorite bit. Over the years, it has become mine.
Nikki faced the difficulties in her life with a brave spirit. The last time I spoke to her, less than two weeks before her death in late 2002, she told me that she was finally beginning to find some peace within herself.
"Rest in Peace" is an enduring cliché. Personally, I'd rather live in peace. Romans 5:3-5:6 tells me how.
*(I took the photo at Seawall, Mt. Desert Island, ME, July 2008.)
Paul said a lot of dumb stuff, and a lot of it's in Romans (like 14:2 and 1:26-1:27). Still, he also had some shining moments, and Romans 5:3-5:6 is definitely one of them.
It is often tempting to hide from difficulty or pain. Some people drink, some people bury themselves in work, and so on.
Better to face it head on, though. As Paul notes, by refusing to demure from hardship, we develop the ability to function under fire. Eventually, as we become more used to forging on despite difficulty, our hardships become less scary. "I've faced this before," you say, or "I've faced worse before," or maybe even, "It's never been this bad, but I have done hard things before in my life and this will be no different." As our bad fortune or suffering becomes less daunting, our ability to deal with it improves, and our instinct to run from it diminishes.
Through all this, we arrive, as Paul describes, at "a hope which will not let us down." This hope is, essentially, the absolute knowledge that we can survive what is in front of us.
This is a good time to pompously quote Camus: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."
In the final part of the passage, which I did not quote, Paul goes on to say that this incredible hope -- this invincible summer -- is the result of the Holy Spirit pouring love into our hearts.
I don't buy that.
I think we are the source of our own incredible, unshakable, invincible hope. I think that is why it is so strong within our hearts, because it comes from our hearts. To now pompously quote Emerson: "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
The ever-reliable hope described by Paul is the ultimate peace, and as Emerson noted, that can only come from oneself. That is why the perseverance born of hardship leads to the tested character, which delivers enduring hope.
Here we arrive at the ultimate meaning of the passage: only by tackling our difficulties head-on, can we achieve true peace within ourselves.
Sometime during our sophomore year in college, my friend Nikki highlighted the passage in my New Jerusalem Bible. It was certainly a year of hardships for each of us, and also (because of September 11) for the nation. We often stayed up all night, sitting in my dorm room. Sometimes, during those nights, we read and discussed the Bible. Romans 5:3-5:6 was her favorite bit. Over the years, it has become mine.
Nikki faced the difficulties in her life with a brave spirit. The last time I spoke to her, less than two weeks before her death in late 2002, she told me that she was finally beginning to find some peace within herself.
"Rest in Peace" is an enduring cliché. Personally, I'd rather live in peace. Romans 5:3-5:6 tells me how.
No comments:
Post a Comment