Good morning people who follow the example of the apostle Paul

Romans 15:4-6 NIV For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I would like life to be easy – I’m sure you do too. But often it’s not.

Paul writes and informs us that we need both endurance and encouragement. He also tells us that what was written in the past teaches us these imperatives, and the result is hope.

I believe that in part this is referring to reading the numerous accounts of how God came through for His people. When we see God’s faithfulness, our confident hope in God rises. This results in the ability to endure, through the encouragement we receive.

That said, it was written by a man who suffered many things for the sake of Christ. Therefore, I don’t want to preach a false doctrine of ‘come to Jesus and everything will be ok by our standards’.

Paul suffered greatly, yet he received endurance and encouragement from the Lord. Today, we can too.