Be ~ Romans 12:12

The past several months we have studied some of the Psalms. Although they don’t resonate with everyone, I think they do echo what many think and feel as they experience trials, brokenness, and suffering in this fallen world. Romans 12:12 is a verse I’ve come back to again and again over the last couple of years, and I think it sums up much of what we have been studying in Psalms.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Chapters, verse numbers, and section titles were not part of the original Scriptures, but even without the aid of the section title, we can recognize that Paul is giving instruction in Romans 12:9-21 to those who are in Christ, explaining what we are to be and do. I would encourage you to stop for a minute and read either all of chapter 12 or at least verses 9-12 for the context. My focus is verse 12, but it is surrounded by other commands regarding relationships in the body of Christ particularly loving others (vs 9-10). Paul packs in plenty of succinct commands in these 13 verses.

Before we jump into verse 12, I want to add that we are looking at the imperatives or commands in chapter 12, but Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, doesn’t lay out commands until he has first encouraged his readers with indicatives (what God has done for us and who we are in Christ). We have been justified and received peace with God (Romans 5:1). We have access to grace by faith (Romans 5:2). We have hope (Romans 5:3). God is sanctifying us and pouring out His love on us (Romans 5:3-5). God sent Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners and His enemies (Romans 5:8, 10). We’ve been reconciled to God (Romans 5:11). We have Christ’s righteousness and eternal life (Romans 5:17). We are dead to sin and made alive to God (Romans 6:11). We are no longer slaves to sin but are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:22). There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). Those are just a few of the reasons why we choose out of love and gratefulness to obey the commands.

Now let’s delve into verse 12. Rejoice in hope. First, Biblical hope isn’t some whimsical wish that may or may not come to pass. Biblical hope is an absolute certainty that God’s promises will be fulfilled. Our ultimate hope is eternal glory because Jesus has redeemed us (Colossians 1:5, 23, 27). Yes, we often experience God’s grace and good gifts here on earth, but God never promised a life of ease and material prosperity. In fact, we repeatedly read in the New Testament that we should expect suffering and persecution as followers of Jesus. So, we set our minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2; Hebrews 12:1-2). We keep an eternal perspective – an absolute certainty that God will finish what he has begun in us (Philippians 1:6) and bring us into eternal glory with Him where there are no more tears, suffering, sin, pain, or death.

With this hope, joy and rejoicing should be the natural response. Those who are in Christ have hope all the time no matter what circumstances surround them. They have cause for rejoicing. In the context of the body of Christ, we should be sharing this joy, reminding others and talking about the hope we have. We should encourage each other to keep an eternal perspective, to look expectantly to eternal glory.

Rejoicing in hope leads to being patient in tribulation. Tribulation refers to serious trouble. Paul may have had persecution in mind. Whether it is persecution or not or whether your circumstance fits serious trouble, the command is the same, “be patient in tribulation.” Trials are not an excuse to respond in sinful ways. Paul is calling us to persevere and endure even when things are hard. We can endure because we have hope. We can have hope and joy in tribulation because the trial is light and momentary in comparison to eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). With Job, we can say, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15a).

Not only do we need to remember these truths in our own trials, but we need to come alongside others in the body who are experiencing trials and suffering and help them persevere. We remind them of these truths, but we also bear their burdens by addressing their physical needs. Bringing a meal or watching someone’s kids might be the exact thing they need to help them endure. It can also be sitting with and listening to a brother or sister in Christ or a myriad of other ways to support. Let your words of encouragement to endure be accompanied by tangible acts of love.

Probably the best means of being patient in tribulation and aiding another in being patient in tribulation is to be constant in prayer. We cannot obey any command apart from the Holy Spirit’s work in us. We cannot rejoice in our hope or be patient in tribulation apart from God, so we need to be constant in prayer, constant in fellowshipping with our Heavenly Father who supplies the grace and mercy to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Being constant in prayer is to have ongoing conversation with God. This may be designated time set apart to talk with the Father or it may be turning our thoughts to God throughout the day whatever we are doing. We are constantly aware of His presence, and we trust Him completely to care for us.

As we studied the Psalms, we looked for the “God is…” truths – God’s character. Part of prayer is praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He has already done and what He has promised to do. Doing these two things puts our petitions in the right perspective. We are remembering who God is, and that He is more than able to accomplish what concerns us. We can rejoice in the hope we have and be patient in tribulation when we are meditating on God’s love for us, His omnipotence, His wisdom and omniscience, His goodness, His sovereignty, and His faithfulness. We learned in the Psalms that God inclines His ears to our cries. He has compassion for us and what we are experiencing. Be constant in talking to your Heavenly Father who cares for you.

Three succinct commands – rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be constant in prayer – and yet they are infused with encouragement and grace that flow from our Heavenly Father who gives the commands. He has richly provided His Spirit and His Word to equip us to walk in faithful, grateful, loving obedience.

Reflection

1. How often do you rejoice in the hope you have or are you more prone to being weighed down by your circumstances? What is one aspect of your hope in God that you will rejoice in today?

2. How do you typically handle trials in your life? What truth or promise can you hold onto to help you persevere? Who is someone you know that you can encourage to endure by sharing truth, doing tangible acts of love to bear their burden, and praying with and for them?

3. Being constant in prayer used to be overwhelming to me, but it starts with one step at a time creating a habit. We’re all different, so you need to discover what works for you, but some things that have helped me are: keeping a thankful journal out to write things down as I think of them, playing praise music throughout the day, having a set time of prayer with set things I pray for different days, praying for things right away that come up during the day, praying with someone when they share their request not just saying you will pray for them later, writing out some of your prayers, and using prayers that have already been written (I have several if you want ideas).