Endure Pressure (Romans 12:12)

Continuing where I left off in Romans chapter 12 with my verse dissection… 

“rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;” Romans 12:12 

Rejoicing (chairó): delight in God’s grace, am glad, salutation, joyfully

Hope (elpis): expectation, trust, confidence

Patient (hupomenó): stand ground, endure, persevere, bear up

Tribulation (thlipsis): persecution, affliction, distress, restricted, pressure

Continuing Steadfastly (proskartereó): persist, persevere, endure, devoting oneself

And here is my rephrased version: 

“With confidence, joyfully delight in God’s grace, stand your ground during affliction, devote yourself to prayer” 

In this section of the Bible, like many others, it is interesting to note that tribulation is expected. It is a given that we will endure suffering as followers of Christ but the question is how we will deal with it. When I am suffering do I persist in prayer and keep my trust in God? Do I hold on to that assured expectation of God’s grace and love and victory? The answer all too often is no. Another point is that the word used for patience here is not passive but active. Patience here gives the picture of someone bearing up under a burden, holding their ground, not acting like a punching bag. It takes strength to hold onto that hope during life’s trials- do I have the endurance? Am I even trying to build it up? 

“Give me the Love that leads the way
The Faith that nothing can dismay
The Hope no disappointments tire
The Passion that'll burn like fire
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God”
-Amy Carmichael 

Text Reference: Helps Word Studies copyright © 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc.
Strong, J. (2009). Exhaustive concordance, updated edition KJV. Peabody: Hendrickson publishers.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Photo Reference: State Library and Archives of Florida. FAMU athlete Robert Hayes practices running on the track: Tallahassee, Florida, 1962