taking pride in our problems

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness combined with our faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3 But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5 This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Well, that didn't take long. 5 days in and I find a 'problematic' text. Welcome to my life as a seminarian. I read a lot of Scripture, and I don't like it all the time. I'm sure I could go and exegete my way through this one, but instead, let's take it at face value. Verses 3 and 4 are tough pills to swallow. I don't take pride in my problems. I understand that going through difficult times can make us stronger, however, I think it's just a way to justify bad things happening. This is difficult to write, knowing that I'm really putting myself out there. This passage just sounds a little too much like 'everything happens for a reason' or 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' I find these cliches difficult to understand. Do we tell a woman who was raped that it happened for a reason? Or tell a grieving parent that it'll make them stronger? Is that what gives people the hope of Jesus Christ? 

Do we hope that things going according to plan or do we hope for an end of these things? Do we hope to see the day where no one's innocence is taken or do we hope that they will be stronger after it? The peace that I have through the love of God, as shown through Christ. My peace comes from a God whose love continues to pour into out hearts, making us new. My hope is in the work of Holy Spirit to work through people to end our 'problems'. My hope will not be put to shame by those who boast in their problems, because I am acting in the world so that these problems cease to exist. 

During Advent, the week of Hope nonetheless I hope. My hope is for a Christ that leads us by example to value all human life. A Christ that works to eradicate injustice and bring peace and civility to our world. My hope is not for endurance or character, but for everyone to feel the love of God that I feel.