Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. —Romans 12:12.
Sometimes the key to survival is simply “setting our jaw” and going on, faithfully trusting that God is there helping us, despite the apparent outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than dwelling on despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer when all circumstances are tough and are decisions of the will. They show that we trust God, who raised Jesus from the dead, can also change our circumstances because he hears our voice and loves us.
Everything seemed to suggest God was silent and had forgotten his Son when Jesus was in the tomb. We know now this wasn’t the case at all. We know that our triumph over sin, death, the evil one, and hell was happening during that silence. As we are being “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer,” let’s also remain confident that he is at work for us in the times he appears to be silent and has abandoned us! Yes, we’re hopeful, we’re patient, and we’re faithful.