Your Future Glory Far Outweighs Your Current Suffering

Thinking about Romans 8:18.

Photo by Jared Erondu on Unsplash

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

The Holy Spirit, through Paul, had just reminded Christians that they were “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Being glorified together with Christ also meant suffering with Him (Romans 8:17).

Sonship and inheritance…are not without cost because future glory comes through suffering with Christ. The path to glory by suffering is the focus of [Romans] 8:18-30. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 280

There will be suffering for God’s children. But the glory that lies ahead far outweighs whatever we suffer in this life.

There will be suffering in this present time.

If you choose to follow Jesus, you will suffer because of that decision.

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. (John 15:18-21)

What Jesus taught His followers about being the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) and the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-15) comes right on the heels of how His followers would be treated.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

Also, Christians are not immune to the pain, sickness, grief, and pressure of this life. Because Adam and Eve sinned, the consequences of sin - pain, suffering, and death - entered this world (Genesis 3:16-19).

And there is no denying the “sufferings of this present time” are terrible. I’m thinking of people who were mere shells of themselves by the end of their lives on this earth because sickness and old age took their toll. Our Lord suffered tremendously for us leading up to His crucifixion and while He was on the cross.

We are all too familiar with the horrors of suffering in this present time - both because of our faith in Christ and because of the consequences of sin in this world.

Our future glory far outweighs our suffering in this present time.

Paul is not downplaying the suffering of this life. He is saying that our suffering in this present time is far outweighed by the glory that awaits us.

The future glory that shall be ours to enjoy transcends immeasurably the sufferings of this present world. No matter what may happen to the child of God as he sojourns upon this earth, the glories of heaven will far outweigh anything he may have to endure while upon this earth. - Wacaster, Studies in Romans, 291

Not only does this future glory far outweigh the sufferings we face here - this future glory “shall” occur - it is certain to happen. There’s no doubt here - Paul says, “Regardless of what we are suffering here in this life, it is absolutely certain that our future glory far outweighs all our suffering here.”

The glory that will be revealed “in us” or “to us” (ESV, NASB) is what will be discussed in the following verses.

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Whatever we suffer in this life - whether it be persecution for following Christ or some terrible disease - God promises that what lies ahead far outweighs our current suffering “with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

Don’t give up.