Hope, Affliction, Prayer

Romans 12:12 Three different translations:

(ERV) “Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.”

(ISV) “Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer.”

(LITV) “In hope, rejoicing; in affliction, enduring; in prayer, steadfastly continuing;”

They each mean the same thing, but hit differently, I think. The ERV tells me WHY we are to rejoice. The ‘hope we have’ is Jesus. He is our hope. Not the hope that we don’t want it to rain, or that the pizza doesn’t burn. It’s hope in its authentic definition: “to anticipate with pleasure; confident expectation”.

Because of our hope, it gives us the means to suffer through tough times, knowing that the proverbial light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel is REALLY there. It is solid and attainable. Man, that’s hard though, isn’t it? Sometimes, that tunnel curves and we can’t see the finish line. But that is where faith comes in. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ~2 Corinthians 5:7 How can we do that?

The last part of the verse tells us - ‘pray all the time’. Pray when you’re in the shower, pray when you’re making dinner, pray while you’re raking leaves. Prayer is just a conversation. You can complain, whine, have a pity-party with God. He listens to that just as He hears praise, thanksgiving and worship. He wants it all - our grime and grunge as much as our thanks and praise. The LITV uses ‘steadfastly continuing”. That means don’t give up! Keep that conversation active. Be persistent. You’ll find that it cycles back to the joy.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” ~Philippians 4:4

Have a blessed day!

Bonnie
Blessed Be Boutique

🅂🄰🅅🄴 our posts to view later!
🅂🄷🄰🅁🄴 our posts and stories!