What We’re Called To Do In The Midst Of Pain

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. – Romans 12:12

Whenever I’m having a tough time, a bad day, or I’m feeling down, I open up my “words of affirmation jar.” I’m still working on the name, but that’s not important. My “words of affirmation jar” is a white jar that sits on my desk. It’s filled with tiny little folded-up pieces of paper, each containing an encouraging or affirming message from my husband. This was his Christmas gift to me three years ago, and he has continued to refill it ever since he gave it to me.

I remember one particular afternoon when I was feeling down and discouraged, I opened up the jar and grabbed a piece of paper. When it opened it up, it contained one word, followed by a few numbers.

Romans 12:12.

I knew I should probably know this verse by heart, but I was having trouble recalling it at that moment, so I looked it up on my phone. Here’s what it says:

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

For that to be such a short verse, it packs quite a punch. This is no small request that the Lord makes of us, but I believe it’s one worth pursuing.

Be joyful in hope: Did you know the Greek word for “hope” in the New Testament translates to “a confident expectation”? That means when we’re hopeful, we should be confident that God is going to come through. We should have high expectations for what He has in store. And when we do that, being joyful seems a little bit easier, doesn’t it?

Be patient in affliction: Patience is not my strong suit. It never has been, especially when I’m feeling afflicted…AKA discouraged, down, frustrated, or in pain. I don’t want to be patient. I want relief, and I want it now. But that’s not what the verse says. It says to wait, to be patient, to trust when we’re hurting. Like I said, this is no small request.

Be faithful in prayer: I feel like these keep getting harder and harder the further we get into this verse. Being faithful in prayer sounds great in theory, but it is super difficult to do when you’ve been asking God for the same thing for weeks, months, or even years and you still haven’t gotten an answer. We know He hears us. We know He’s listening. It says so in His Word. And sometimes, that’s all we have to hold onto when we’re trying to remain faithful in prayer even when the answer seems like it’s never going to get here.

I don’t know why Kevin chose to write this verse down on one of the little sheets of paper in my jar, but I’m glad he did. It’s a reminder I need every single day, and I hope it served as a good reminder for you today.

Following Jesus definitely isn’t an easy thing to do. I think Romans 12:12 proves that. What we’re often asked to do, especially in the midst of pain, seems so counterintuitive, but it’s what ultimately brings us closer to Jesus. And as we draw near to Him, we find the strength to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.