this is such an incredible beautiful passage. i think it's easy to skim over without actually reading it. but when you read it, you discover that it pretty much sums up the journey of life in 4 simple words: suffering, perseverance, character, hope. i think these are the missing puzzle pieces to what has me stumped: how can suffering people hope? i still don't totally get it, but it makes more sense now.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

-Romans 5:1-4

i think i'm re-learning how to hope. how to love. how to find beauty in the unexpected places. how to trust God even when you don't feel like it. how to be happy when you don't feel like it. how to be content even when you're not getting what you want. how to take courage and move on.

all because God has poured out his love into my heart.

God doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we expect. He doesn't always give us solutions like we want. sometimes all He gives us is a little bit of perseverance. a little bit of perseverance in those days when you believe life is hopeless.