Groanings and Glory
…and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider (reckon – KJV) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. – Romans 8:17-18 NKJV.
Soon after I became a Christian, I wrote a song about life being so good with no problems and sky being blue with no clouds in sight to rain on my parade. Life was so bright I thought I needed to wear shades. I now know things are not always wonderful as a Christian.
We are not called to a life of ease. Instead, we are issued uniforms and weapons of war as we are told in Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
The way of the Christian is not always easy because we are called to make a stand. We need to know ahead of time that there is going to be some groaning, there is going to be some pain and suffering. Paul does tell us in Romans 8:17 that “…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory…” to come. This is an amazing statement, especially when Paul applies it to himself. It is amazing because when Paul’s ship wasn’t sinking, or he wasn’t being stoned, or robbed, he was being whipped to within an inch of losing his life.
Paul was not being a poet when he told the Galatians 6:17, “…let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Despite Paul’s sufferings he says that the present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory. That is amazing!!
Paul begins Romans 8:18 by saying, “I reckon,” meaning that he has thought it over carefully. He says much the same thing in 2 Corinthians 4:17. No matter what we have gone through, are presently going through, or will go through, when you add it all up the total groans are not worth comparing to the glory awaiting us.
You can compare a glass of water with the ocean. But we cannot compare our sufferings with the coming glory because Paul says they, “…are not worthy to be compared.” For all Christians a glory awaits us that exceeds the wildest imaginations of even the most gifted science fiction writers. One bright, shining day our groanings will be replaced by glory!!