Day Three Romans 8:18-25 Hope That Transforms Suffering
Pray: Invite God into your time and ask Him to speak to you, then read the passage.
18Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.19For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.20Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,21the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.23And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.24We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.25But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) – Romans 8:18-25 (NLT)
Discover: Use the Discover section of your Recalibrate journal to write down your answers to the following observation and interpretation questions.
- What is creation looking forward to and why (verses 18-22)?
- Describe how you have personally experienced the groaning of verses 22-23.
- What does life in this world entail? What do Christians have that non-Christians don't?
Respond: Use the Respond section of your journal to answer the following application prompts.
- What does this passage teach me about God?
- How does this aspect of His character change my view of self and others?
- What should I do in response and when?
For Further Reading
What does it mean that all creation groans?
For Families with Kids at Home:
Chances are, your kids have probably figured out on some level that life is not as God intended and they’ve likely experienced it to some degree: the sickness or death of a loved one, arguments or fights, physical or emotional pain, etc. Paul tells us that all of creation (including us) is “groaning,” because we long for things to be made right by God. But in these verses, Paul gives us hope that one day God will set everything right – no more pain or sorrow, sadness or death! Ask your kids about a hardship they’ve experienced lately – be sure to empathize with them and let them know, “You’re right. That is hard!” Then encourage them that one day, God will make all things right and that these hardships we’re going through will end one day!
*If you don't have a Recalibrate journal, you can use any journal available to you to write down your responses.
**TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.