Romans 8:35, 37

In Romans 8, Paul gives the church some massive truths to undergird our faith, especially in times of stress and trial. Some are tempted to bitterly resent the pruning of our Heavenly Father that is intended to make us more fruitful (John 15:2). In Romans 8, Paul makes it very clear that suffering is an integral part of God’s plan for each believer: we are “joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:17).

Paul gives valuable encouragement to all who might feel unloved in suffering. Who of us have not thought, “If God loves me, why would He allow this to happen?” Here the message is loud and clear: nothing at all shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus—nothing. Paul does not give an exhaustive list when he mentions tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. To this, we might also add our own list of horrible experiences including rejection, depression, loss of a spouse, a miscarriage, a cancer diagnosis, a wayward child, or job loss. Yet… in all these things, we are not just conquerors, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. They may overwhelm us and make us feel our weakness, but they will not conquer us if we know that, in the middle of them, we are greatly loved by the most powerful Being in the universe: the One who holds all things together by the word of His power.

Tom Day