Romans 12:12 3/24/2020*

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

The three “Be’s” of survival… Be joyful, Be patient, and Be prayerful.

Hearing that we should be joyful in difficult times is perplexing because we have confused Joy, with happiness. Happiness results from circumstances…Joy exist in spite of them.  Our joy comes from our hope which has also been mis-defined… Hope is not wishing …it is being certain.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see.”

That kind of hope allows us to endure tests joyfully because we trust in Christ. We have hope - not like the world does- but a hope built on confidence in God’s power.

Secondly “be patient” – This is alien to us. Our culture has literally killed patience. We irritably drum our fingers as the microwave takes 10 seconds to heat our food.  We want instant answers to any problem we face.

Can you remember the last time you were patient in a time of affliction?  How have you been handling the long lines at the grocery store? Or waiting for an answer to your current problem?….  When is the last time you were patient because you had hope (certainty) in God and that assuredness impacted your countenance with others in your life?

Finally, “be prayerful”.  Anxiously complaining improves absolutely nothing.  It worsens the problem by producing fear. But If you believe the bible, you must believe that prayer changes things. 

James says, “You do not have because you do not ask God”. Colossians says, “devote yourselves to prayer”. Thessalonians says, “Pray continually”

As a planet we have been given a “time out” … We are being told to be still. Psalms 46 says, to be still and know that He is God. …so, are you doing that?…. All the urgent stuff you thought had to be done can apparently wait. Break the 24-hour news cycle and dedicate some time to prayer… it will completely change your heart.

Be joyful in affliction because you are certain of God’s love. Be patient because you are certain of His power, and be prayerful because there is no safer place to be in times of trouble then in your Father’s arms.

“The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.”  - Napoleon Bonaparte