Romans 8:18-25

18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19: For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21: that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22: For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23: And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
24: For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
25: But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

*** 

Though we have this struggle in the flesh now, striving against sin, it's nothing compared to the glory that is coming. It will all be worth it. Paul talked about the “anxious longing of the creation” who “waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”

The purpose of God’s creation was thwarted when man fell in the beginning. Yet God intervened so all of creation could be set free from the slavery to corruption that occurred as a result of that fall. Not only could creation be set free from the slavery, but it could also be brought into the freedom of the glory of God’s children yet to come.

Paul further explained that all of creation was suffering these pains of childbirth together. Even those of us who have the Spirit of God, we too groan within ourselves, waiting for the redemption of our body. This is our hope—the final deliverance of our body and all of God’s creation—so we can finally fulfill the purpose for which we were created. It hasn’t been completed yet. This is why it is a future hope. Yet with perseverance today we eagerly wait for it. There is a glory yet to come that is so glorious, our current struggles aren’t even worthy to be compared with them. Don’t give up!

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