Be Joyful, Patient, and Faithful....Really?(Romans 12:12)

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

-Romans 12:12

For reals, doesn't Paul know what he's saying? I mean come on! Joyful in hope...patient in affliciton? faithful in prayer? That's a lot to do. So much in fact let's break it down little by little.

Be joyful in Hope.
Well, first we need to understand what hope is right? According to Romans 8:24-25, Hope is confident expectation."Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is not seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience." It's believing that what we can't see is still possible. We are called to be joyful in believing with confidence things unseen, or remaining to happen. Sometime's it's hard to be joyful in hope. We get tired of hoping, our attitude's change because today's generation is an instant generation. Doesn't everything have to happen NOW? But putting this in perspective helps alot. Who's timing do we rely on? Our time or God's? I'm pretty sure that the maker of time is more knowledgable on how this whole thing time works out. In God's time, hope is fulfilled. But until than, change your attitude and think a bigger picture and be joyful.

Patient in affliction? In chapel, we had a speaker talk about this, and how in Philippians, Paul talks about his immprisionment and in the midst of all this says, rejoice! I don't know about you but in the midst of perseacution I don't think I would have the strength to say rejoice...But than again, here in America is our persecution really at all great? In other nations, the persecuation stakes are pretty high, some Christians truly do die for what they believe. What's the worse in America? Patience for someone who just teases us? Patience for that annoying person that you talk to but it just doesn't seem to affect them? How's that for patience. It's really NOT as difficult as others make it out to be.

Faithful in Prayer, is one that I have the hardest part dealing with. I'd be at the front of the line for people that say yes I will pray for you and after a week it's over and done with. Nothing's happening. But God wants us to pray without ceasing even when it seems like hope is dimishing. :)

I encourage you to practice being joyful, patient and faithful in your Christian walk. :)