I can be joyful as I hope things go the way I want. Looking forward to eternity with Jesus, my true hope, certainly brings me joy. Paul, the author of Romans, could have stopped right there, and I would've been quite happy. Joyful, even.
But he didn't.
Patient in affliction?
Paul, I'd rather joyfully hope to avoid affliction, if you don't mind. But that's not the way it works, is it? We face affliction every day. Not sure what affliction is? It's the stuff of life we don't like. Irritations, aggravations, complications, and unpleasant situations, to name a few.
Somebody just spilled my Cheerios, and God wants me to be patient? Yep, He sure does.
Not just with the little things--the idiot three feet from your bumper with his bright lights burning a hole in your retinas, or the social media queen who thinks her smart phone is more important than the green, now yellow light backing up traffic for two blocks. Yes, we are supposed to be patient with those minor irritations in life.
What about the real issues? Health. Money. Marriage. Kids. When one of those go haywire, am I supposed to just take a deep breath and believe everything is going to be OK? That's what the Book says. Be patient. Let God work. He's good at what He does.
Patience has never been my strong suit, but I'm working on it.
Faithful in prayer.
I consider myself a faithful guy. I'm loyal to my wife, devoted to my kids, dependable at work. I go to church, teach Sunday School, read the Bible (almost) every day. I remember to pray most times before I eat, thank God when it's time to go to bed, and ask for strength when it's time to get up. That's pretty faithful, isn't it?
Paul most likely would disagree. In Romans 12:11, the verse before the one we are talking about, he says, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."
Zealous, fervent service to the Lord means more than joyfully hoping for the weekend, not screaming at the bad drivers around me, or mumbling a half-felt thank you around my french fries. That kind of service takes work. It takes effort. It means being intentional.
Joy, patience, and faith do not come naturally.
Paul says we have to be these things. God doesn't command us to do what comes naturally or easily. Most of the time, what we are supposed to do isn't the path of least resistance. I have to choose joy, practice patience, demonstrate faith. Those are action words, my friends, not pansy-waisted passive verbs without heart.
Being what God wants is a challenge. Are you up to it?
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