Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39 ESV)
Like most people I have endured my share of trials and troubles. And, if I allow myself to dwell on those things - it could be very overwhelming. God didn't promise this life would be trouble/trial free. Instead, He tells us often that in the world you will have tribulation and trial and difficulty. But that is not the end of the story for God also promises us something else - victory through the power of Christ. These trials/ troubles will not have the last word and they don't define the last word with Christ. In fact, they bring us closer to the love of Christ and they make us much stronger. He tells us in this passage that we are "more than conquerors through Christ who loves us." (He) Christ gives us the power to be victorious through the power of the Holy Spirit on a day by day experience. Often we feel like David who said in Psalm 55:6 - "I wish I had wings like a dove and fly away and rest." We want to run away and not deal with the things that are pressing us. Yet, God tells us that trials produce in us a fortitude and a strength and a patience that we would not have without the pressure of those trials. In the High Desert we get lots of wind which causes the roots of trees to go very deep in the earth. Without the constant pressure of the wind - the trees would not be able to stand against the elements of heat and cold and adversity that defines the High Desert terrain. After Jesus was crucified there came an intense persecution on the church where many were martyred for their faith - but that strategy began to backfire on the Roman government. What they thought was going to make the Christians weak and make the Christian movement to dissolve had a completely opposite effect - they got stronger, much stronger. They grew. They allowed their roots to go deep. They sang praises to God as persecutions grew stronger and stronger. It is no different with us today. Whatever trial you might be facing, if you allow God to be "in" you - you will be stronger and stronger as things get tougher and tougher. Remember, there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. Nothing. Keep your eyes on Him and you will be a victorious conqueror.
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