Peace with God

Romans 5:1–5 is a great consolation in the midst of suffering.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).

Justified by Faith

First, in Christ, "we have been justified by faith," which means you and I have been declared innocent and righteous in the heavenly courtroom of God, and that is irreversibly so.

Peace with God

Second, we, therefore, "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." We are no longer under judgment, no longer counted enemies, no longer alienated from God. Rather, we are at peace with God, and God is at peace with us. No amount of suffering or persecution can take away our justification or the peace with have with God Almighty.

Access to God

Third, the main takeaway is summarized wonderfully in verse 2, "Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We have favorable access into the presence of God. We stand in the grace of God rather than the condemning wrath of God. Therefore we rejoice; we rejoice because the glory of God is our great inheritance in Christ. In other words, "we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

Christian Endurance

Fourth, our current standing with God and our future inheritance with God enables us to endure and even rejoice in the midst of grave suffering. In fact, God will sovereignly use our experience through suffering to mature us in the faith and conform us to the likeness of Christ. As Paul says,

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."

Your sufferings are not in vain when you suffer in fellowship with Christ. Suffering produces endurance. Endurance produces character. Character produces hope. The more we grow in Christian character, learning to patiently endure, the more we will learn how to live in light of the eternal hope we have stored up for us with God in heaven.

God's Love in Our Hearts

Fifth and finally, verse 5 say, 

"and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Beloved, you will not be ashamed. You will not disappointed. You will be carried along by the love of God that has taken up residence in your heart. God's love, by the Holy Spirit Himself, has been poured out into your heart.

To endure, therefore, look to Christ and trust in the Spirit. For character in the likeness of Jesus, look to Him and trust in the Spirit. To live more consistently and zealously based on the hope of eternal life, look to Christ, and trust in the Spirit. 

Call upon God for the help, perseverance, peace, and patience that you need. God is faithful; He will provide.