This year my scripture memorization plan includes Romans chapters 5 through 8. This is one of the greatest passages in all of scripture. Here we find our theology of justification. Here we learn about God’s plan of sanctification from sin by his Holy Spirit. Some years ago I memorized the end of chapter eight. This section of Romans rises to the crescendo of God actively working things together for good, being for us and loving us with a love that will not let us go.
Sometimes I hear people read Romans 8:28 to say, God lets us suffer to make us better people. Or, I have heard others say, “Don’t worry because everything in your life will be good.” A good principle for interpreting scripture is to look at the text in context. The verses leading up to the wonderful crescendo shed light on Paul’s meaning.
Christians do not deny the awful reality of suffering. Jesus’ suffering did not eliminate the possibility of God’s people suffering, but it did fill our suffering with meaning. The whole creation groans in suffering. We ourselves groan. When we are spiritually speechless, the Spirit of God groans with us. We serve the God who also suffered as a human.
What is Paul saying? Believers are not exempt from suffering. God is with us in our suffering. Someday our suffering will be eclipsed by glory. Years ago I participated on an inter-faith panel. A young Buddhist monk explained that suffering shows us life is meaningless. I had the chance to explain that Jesus also suffered on the cross and that his Spirit is with us when we are suffering. Because Jesus suffered purposefully on the cross to redeem us, our suffering is no longer meaningless. Best of all, suffering never separates us from God’s goodness, advocacy, and love. This is our hope. As we will see in our Proverbs readings: hope will not be taken away.
