Victorious Christians move from Suffering to Hope…

… is what Paul says!

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul writes:

"…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Victorious Christians progressively move from suffering to hope, Paul says.  When victorious Christians bear pain, loss, distress, injury or grief, they persevere.

According to Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, perseverance is:

"a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, excetera, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement."

Through perseverance, the victorious Christian's character is formed.  

In everyday language, the term character is used to mean a number of things; in this instance, however, it refers to strength of mind or resolution.  The resultant strength of mind or resolution is a determination or strong will to see the suffering end.  

Being more than an attitude of the mind, character drives the victorious Christian to decisive action towards bringing his sufferings to an end and in due process give him or her hope.

According to Webster's Dictionary, hope is:

(1) a desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable

(2) an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable

(3) confidence

(4) pleasing expectancy.

Suffering weighs most people down, but some individuals have become better persons from the pain, loss, distress, injury or grief of suffering.  Paul says that victorious Christians progressively move from suffering to hope.  Are you a victorious Christian?  Can you move from suffering to hope?