Suffering, Perseverance, Character & Hope

I had a very difficult time at work this couple of weeks and was pondering seriously on whether to go or stay. As I was reading The Daily Bread on 13 April, the verse Romans 5 came to my attention:

(from www.Biblegateway.com)

Peace and Joy

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through 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. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

At the Easter service today, Dr Barry Chant wrote some comments that I agreed with:

1) A man sitting on the footpath offering to polish people's shoe. But there was over 200 people walking past him praising the Lord..... The look on his face might have been saying "what good is all that singing and shouting if you don't help people?"

2) Early Christians celebrated Easter by fasting no feasting

3) Let's remember that our faith is proven not just by our words but by also our deeds

Amen