What to do with Trouble

Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.... Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:12, 15)

I am wondering why this first instruction is given. There could be several ways of looking at this to uncover the need for it to be given. Is there a time when we might engage in hope without rejoicing in it? If so, then we would need to be reminded to rejoice while we are hoping.

To follow that line of inverse deduction, might we have a problem of rejoicing without having enough hope? I can't quite see that problem very clearly but it might be worth thinking about. Clearly Paul sees the need to remind us that these two actions or states of mind need to be linked together or otherwise there would not be compelling reason for writing this to us. Plugging it back into context it certainly makes sense that when things are not going well we need to put into practice our hope in a rejoicing sort of way. But that is generally not the natural response we have to trouble.

The Greek word for tribulation here has a wide spectrum of meanings that cover many more areas of our daily life than what we might first think. It means pressure, affliction, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble. Any one of those words alone without the others involved can be an opportunity to remember both to rejoice in hope and to stay very close to prayer.

The word translated persevering means what we might say, to hang in there. It also means to abide, to endure, to have fortitude or to tarry behind. Evidently this implies that we should not necessarily try to immediately jump out of our trouble or affliction or anguish. Instead we are to face it with fortitude, with hope and with prayer. I suspect this is because the greatest opportunities for growth are found by going through our problems instead of jumping out of them or avoiding them. It is very much like muscle building; the effort needed to build up muscles can be quite uncomfortable at times but is necessary to endure if we want the end results of a healthier body.

I find it interesting that the instruction to face and endure our pressures or whatever difficulties we are facing is carefully surrounded on both sides with important instructions as to how we are to respond to those times in our lives. On one side we are told to rejoice in hope and on the other side we are instructed to stay very close to prayer. The word for prayer here also means worship and the word translated devoted to is rich with meaning. It denotes earnestness, perseverance, constant diligence, to attend assiduously all the exercises, to adhere closely to, attend continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually).

I see this as a parallel passage to the one in the middle of 1 Thessalonians 5 that contains the phrase to pray without ceasing. Many other verses in that passage closely parallel the ones in this passage and it would be very interesting to look at them side by side.

What I did notice this morning as I looked over these verses again was the close similarity between verse 12 and verse 15. Both talk about rejoicing and both refer to emotions involved in sadness or pain. The first verse seems to refer to how we should respond to trouble in our own life and then verse 15 teaches us to take what we have experienced to help us synchronize with the feelings and emotions of others who are experiencing similar times in their lives. When we synchronize our emotions with another it creates a deeper bond between us which is what the body is all about.

These instructions, again, are all in the chapter referring primarily to what the body of Christ is to look like in everyday life. This section of the chapter is unpacking much of what our relationships will look like when we are experiencing the transformation talked about in verse two instead of the conformity that human religion or the world uses to bond people together. The body of Christ on earth is to be bonded from internal transformation of hearts and with the love described in these verses. When the bonds emanate from the inside instead of the outside we will then be more empowered to devote ourselves to one another in brotherly love, to give preference to one another in honor, to rejoice in hope and share the experiences of others in the body in meaningful and uplifting ways.

The next two verses contain a very interesting surprise. But right now I need to get ready to leave so I will visit those next time.

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Direction and Intensity

Though I have not been posting a lot over the past few days I have been meditating on the last half of Romans 12 every morning and allowing its message to sink a little deeper into my psyche each time. I want to be sure that the things I am learning in my study are much more life-changing for me than simply knowing more information or being better versed in Scripture. There are plenty of people around who can expound far more articulately what these verses might be saying than I can, but no one else can take the place of my own responsibility to be transformed through exposure and assimilation of the living Word of my own Creator. By beholding I am changed and there is no more reliable way to be changed than in the way described in verse two. I do not want the conformity kind of change – I am all too familiar with that and I still do plenty of that. But what I desire more and more intensely is real transformation from the inside, a liberated heart that can feel, can connect, can thrive, can grow and can live life with meaning, focus and excitement.

Thus far I have examined up to verse ten. For the past few days I have been reading this passage in various segments trying to better grasp the more subtle connections, the mood of the passage and the interrelations and implications that have been too easily overlooked in the past. I am sure I will never fully understand this passage but I feel a deep need to do much better in soaking up and connecting my heart with this concentration of rich resources that have been too long skimmed over in my Bible readings.

My paradigms have shifted over the past few years and I am much more fascinated with getting deep into the richness and power of the Word more than just covering territory which has been the pattern through most of my life. It is helpful at times to cover several chapters quickly both before and after more in-depth study so I can get a better handle on context that enhances my more detailed examinations. But when most of my reading is a one-time pass without simmering in the rich juices and marinating long enough to allow my heart to soak up the flavor, I receive very little effective transformation of heart which is the real desire in me now.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer... (Romans 12:9-12)

One thing I notice in this section of verses is that there are two things given for our attention: direction and intensity. This passage is describing what a transformed life is going to look like (not how to manage or manipulate symptoms but what they will look like when they appear). When we are in the process of transformation we will be free to make choices in cooperation with the Spirit of God and so Paul is sharing some of choices that that kind of person can make that will enhance and strengthen both the body of Christ and our own bonds to that body and to God.

Verse eleven that I am unpacking right now is another one of those comparison by contrast statements. It is also interesting, for whatever reason, that it contains the same word as used in verse eight in reference to how leaders should lead. The word used for lagging means being slow, hesitant, slothful or lazy, etc. There is even the word irksome used in the definition for this Greek word. As far as leadership goes I think it is quite possible that irksome might be something that leaders should guard against if they want to be a positive and nurturing part of the body of Christ. However, this verse is not just about leaders but applies to everyone who is being transformed and bonded to each other in the body.

The Greek word behind diligence appears to me to be the almost exact opposite as the word translated lagging. It means earnestness, speed, dispatch, eagerness and even haste. I believe that it addresses the condition of our spirit as noted in the same verse more than just the actions we may be doing. I believe that it is referring to the intensity of our focus on staying connected with God and not becoming distracted or lazy in whatever it is God has gifted us to do in the body.

Just like verse nine that had very few Greek words to convey the sharp and distinct message in the original, this verse also uses only two words for each phrase except for a word denoting the negative in the first phrase. We are not to be slow or lazy in the exercise of our gifts but to be the very opposite as seen in the next phrase, fervent in our spirit. The word for fervent means zeal, earnest, even boiling and very hot. This is starting to move us toward the revelation of the most intense passion anywhere in the universe as seen at the end of this chapter – the wrath of God. This verse is inviting us to participate in the boiling passion of God as opposed to being dithering, uncertain and slow in connecting with His heart. The last phrase of this verse confirms that direction by showing that this intensity of spirit is to be in the context of our complete submission and devotion to God.

I find it very helpful for my own mind as well as my heart to take the time to unwrap each phrase and to expose its much deeper significance. Then when I take another flying pass through the chapter from a higher altitude at greater speed the meanings I have discovered suddenly fit with each other much more profoundly since my mind has already stored in memory the deeper significance of each segment. It is like learning to read and coming to the point where you are not spending so much time struggling to pronounce or understand each word and then can start to make better sense of sentences and paragraphs. There is need for both if I want to really get into the Word and the mind of God.

Right now I am sort of moving back and forth between looking carefully at each word or phrase and then trying to see how it connects to those around it. There is so much packed into this chapter and it seems condensed so tightly that it takes extra time to release its power and significance. The next verse continues this pattern as it describes more about what a transformed life is going to look like.

As I pray about the application of this verse to my life today I realize that there is an important reason these instructions are placed in close proximity. It is easy when thinking about service and submission and humility in relationship to God to sometimes adopt a sense of hesitation. Submission in my mind generally means letting go of my rights and control and allowing another to exercise authority and blind control over my life. With that mentality I can easily slide into a state of disconnectedness whenever I think of living in submission.

Why am I talking about submission here? Because in my mind real service for the Lord cannot be done without a spirit and attitude of submission to His sovereignty and authority in my life. My relationship to God and my connection with the body of Christ will necessarily involve service that requires some relationship of submission to proper authority, especially that of God. For anyone who has known me very long, they will know that this is one area of my life that is not yet free of intense triggers and potential land-mines. I still need a lot of healing and repair in this area of my life but God is faithful and knows how to do it best. But just in case you are starting to think... this is not an invitation for anyone else to get involved and try to play God in my life. No one else can effect the heart healing necessary that must take place to return me to proper balance and wholeness as God can do. So just as I cannot convict anyone else of sin effectively and heal their heart, neither can anyone repair my heart by bringing me trials or tests like God can do.

But I do sense that I may have confused ideas of what submission looks like after considering this verse. It almost seems like an oxymoron that one could be fervently passionate and yet be submissive at the same time. This presents a curious concept for my mind to cogitate on for some time. My mind finds it baffling but my heart finds it intriguing. In one way I can see how some might view this text as being fervent in service for God, but I believe that much of what passes off as service for God is too often involved in service for our notions of what we think will help God instead of submissive passion to God Himself. Wow, that still sounds like an oxymoron. I have to think about this some more.

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