“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” – Romans 5:4
We have discussed endurance over the last couple of days. Through trials, endurance is built. But there is something else that is built through that endurance: character. God never calls us to a life of complacency. He’s called us to a life of walking by faith and growing and developing as a child of God.
Romans 5 talks all about the development process and how he uses our trials to make us more like Christ. Paul starts out by saying afflictions produce endurance. Then In Romans 5:4, he continues by saying, “And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
Here is what that tells us. Trials and suffering and thorns all promote and validate the character of the person undergoing the affliction.
The Bible tells us that proven character is the promised result of walking through difficult things. Meaning, when Christians cling to God, through Christ, by the Spirit, in the midst of suffering, they come out on the other side less complacent and more Godly as a result.
See, you might be wondering when your trials are going to end. But when you focus on the time frame, you miss the point. Don’t go through trials just to miss it. It already hurts. You’re already in pain; get a reward from it.
God is allowing this time in your life because He doesn’t want you to grow complacent. He has bigger plans for you. But in order for you to go to the next level, you’ve got to level up. He needs your character to keep developing so that you are prepared for the next chapter in your life.
He can’t take you there if you aren’t ready. If you are only focused on getting comfortable and complacent, you’ll miss it. See this time for what it is and allow God to strengthen your character. It’s time to level up.