Wait for the Glory (Romans 8:18)
By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. - Romans 8:18 (ESV)
Three years ago this month, my grandmother fell while walking outside in rubber boots. She hit her head and never woke back up. It was a very traumatic time for my family, as my grandmother was my grandfather’s caretaker during his last years of fragile health—complete with an oxygen tank and dementia. It was a confusing time for him, suddenly being without his wife of sixty-plus years. It was also an incredibly hard time for my father, who found them both outside when he came to their house for his routine evening meal delivery.
Over the next few months, as my family and extended family dealt with funeral arrangements for her and with my grandfather’s rapidly declining condition, I kept coming back to Romans 8:18. When the circumstances felt bleak, I looked to Romans 8:18. When it all seemed so “unfair”, I focused on Romans 8:18. When my heart broke watching my grandfather’s physical and emotional pain, I clung to Romans 8:18. The Holy Spirit used His living word to remind me that this life isn’t all there is. That as much as my grandfather suffered in the 4 months he lived after my grandmother’s passing, it would all be over in a blink and he would be so gloriously, fully, perfectly alive and happy. Redemption was coming.
If you’re in a hard season today, remember, this isn’t it. If you’re a follower of Christ and a born-again believer, this life isn’t all there is for you. The sufferings of this time aren’t even worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed. One day, as Christians, we’ll have perfect bodies. Perfect health. And even better than that, we’ll be in perfect communion with God. No more shame, guilt, or struggle over sin. No more failing health, painful memories, heartaches, or death. We will be as we were once meant to be. And when that time comes, all of this will fade like a shadow in the light of the glory of God.
I marked this verse in Romans in my Bible and pressed a rose petal from my grandmother’s funeral in the pages. Every time I come across it, I smile. Each year, the smile grows sweeter and less bittersweet, because it’s living proof and tangible evidence of the promises of God. We can trust His word, even when it’s hard, even when it hurts, and even when it feels like there is no end in sight.
My dear friend is currently grieving the loss of a family pet who was like a family member for them. Another friend is grieving the decisions of a wayward daughter. Yet another is dealing with major health battles. And still, another is walking through an unwanted divorce, much as I did some eight years ago. Yet in all these things, God’s word stands.
This world doesn’t have the final say, my friend. So, wait for it! Wait for the future glory. Wait with eager expectation. Wait with hope. Wait with endurance.
It will be worth it. God said so.
Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of more than fifteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hero of a hubby, two total-opposite young daughters, a vast collection of coffee mugs, and an impressive stash of Pickle chips. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women restored in Christ. When she’s not sweating it out at Camp Gladiator or trying to prove unicorns are real, Betsy can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white-chocolate mocha—no whip. Look for her latest novel with Revell, The Key To Love. Visit her at http://www.betsystamant.com.
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