Romans 5

Verse 3 - 4 "we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope."

The definition of hope is "to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence." (dictionary.reference.com) Hope means believing that what we want to happen will happen.

Hope is a powerful thing. Hope makes life worth living... sometimes it is the only thing that makes life worth living. Nelson Mandela survived in prison for 27 years because of hope.

But hope comes with a price. And the price is suffering. If life were perfect we would not need to hope for anything. Adam and Eve didn't need to hope for anything.

But they ate the apple, sin entered the world and never left, and because of sin we suffer. Our world is broken.

But our suffering makes us stronger... or it destroys us.

We can handle suffering if we have hope. I grew up 2 houses down from a family of 7, 2 parents and 5 kids. The youngest, Paul was a couple years older than me and taught me how to play basketball. Paul's oldest sister died of cancer, then he died of the same cancer, then his other sister died in a car accident, then one of his brothers died of cancer, and then his father died of cancer. 5 deaths in one family in less than 10 years. His mother now suffering unlike any other person I have ever met in my life. Then the doctors told her that the cancer her children had was a trait they received from her. But she didn't fall apart because she has hope.

Hope that her entire family will be reunited in a place where death and suffering are not welcome.

Hope in Jesus is all she has, and it's all she needs.

It's all any of us need.