The moment you give your life to God doesn’t change the fact that the world is full of problems. While surrendering to the Almighty may yield peace and purpose, it’s not protection from life’s inevitable hardship. The artist turns problems and struggles into a product that engages the viewer or consumer and brings light out of darkness; our challenges further refine our faith and character. Mountains may still rise in our paths, but following God as our guide, we navigate the trails with strength, resilience, and a deeper understanding of our capacity for growth. The friction doesn’t disappear but becomes an opportunity for transformation, reminding us that we are not alone even amid struggles, and the journey of faith brings us tremendous value and, ultimately, peace. Paul pontificates on the result of suffering on our faith and the peace available through the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 

Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)

Peace begins as we start walking in faith. Stepping out in faith isn’t a promise of an effortless journey but a passageway leading to a profound peace, as Paul explains in Romans 5. It delves deeper, echoing the Hebrew concept of “shalom,” a wholeness encompassing every aspect of being. Faith works to root out the sin that creates fissures in our relationship with God as peace heals and brings us back to whole. With each step, we find ourselves inching closer to the transformative peace that transcends circumstance and settles deep within the core of our being. This peace, however, transcends the mere absence of conflict as conflict becomes an agent, leading us to grow deeper in faith and more fully into peace.

Faith’s path may appear riddled with impediments; these hazards are not necessarily reasons to give up but roots of growth. At the beginning of any task, if we attempt to brute force our way to completion, we will get frustrated when encountering a speed bump. However, when we hit those crises, they teach us and grow within us a patience that acts as a superpower divinely endowed. Each tribulation endured grows our patience, forging a character of faithfulness and perseverance. This power transforms into hope, a confident expectation for the future with a foundation on God’s unwavering love. Planted firmly in faith, even though troubles may strain our determination, they open doors to stronger faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit, preparing the saints of God for the journey ahead.

Patience empowers our journey with God, not just as a passive virtue but as a powerful preparation. Each moment we endure each challenge we navigate with grace prepares us for the Holy Spirit’s magnificent work. Patience opens us to the superpowers of faith, hope, and love, not as fleeting wishes but as concrete tools to navigate God’s purpose for our lives. Patience allows us to discern the whispers of His guidance amidst the world’s noise, preparing us to step confidently into His action when the time comes. It’s not just the waiting that matters, but the transformation that occurs within the waiting, making us vessels ready to receive the blessings and fulfill the purpose He has designed for us. Therefore, we patiently embrace the landmines and allow the struggle to become a propellant, leading us into God’s extraordinary work.

Through God’s work to build our lives with peace through patient endurance, we acquire a greater understanding of God’s desire that we continue the work of peace in the world.  The Cross and the Holy Spirit empower the Church to be a beacon of hope. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, God’s love poured onto the world, offering forgiveness, redemption, and peace. God then gifted the Holy Spirit within you, giving you a superpower to share God’s love with others. This love speaks loudest through quiet acts of kindness, the gentle words that radiate God’s presence, smiles offered, and helping hands extended. Compassion becomes a testament to the hope found in Christ. The Holy Spirit guides and strengthens you, reminding you that God’s love is the ultimate source of your strength and purpose. As we shine our light on the world, we must ensure that the peace given is shared, and through that, the Holy Spirit will manifest hope for the world through our actions and words. 

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Published by JRMITCH85

I am often asked what describes you, which is a hard answer because sometimes I move in a thousand different directions. Some call me an engineer, others call me pastor, a few call me captain, some call me friend, others call me dad, and one calls me sweetheart. All of these things are descriptors and are accurate, but they don't fully capture me. My favorite place is in the mountains, enjoying the beauty of nature and God's creation, running and hiking around with my family and friends, and taking photos to cement the memories. However, the people that know me the best know that my favorite thing to do is come up with crazy adventures that push the limits of what our minds and bodies can do. My faith in God is important to me and drives me to look at creation the way I do. Because of my faith, I look at these adventures and running races from Half Marathons all the way to 24 hour races, as well as several Obstacle Course Races, as an opportunity to push the body God gave me as an act of worship. Hopefully, someday soon, I look toward running longer races and bigger adventures. My hope is that humanity can understand that the wild is a gift, and we need to care for it and quit destroying it by the way we live.

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