Let God Speak #15: Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Not Worth Comparing

Some things just aren’t worth comparing. When I was a child, I dreamed of owning a dog. I carried Nanook, a Siberian Husky Beane Baby, with me everywhere. Now, I know that owning a real dog is so much more fulfilling than a Beanie Baby (but more expensive!). Hanging pictures of mountains in your house is great; hiking in a breath-taking mountain range is a whole other experience. A frozen lasagna is nothing compared to your grandma’s recipe.

Paul writes that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to heaven. That’s a bold statement, isn’t it? Our present sufferings look pretty bad! If I interviewed 100 people in Burlington, I’d hear all sorts of problems: mental illnesses, financial worry, physical pain, emotional heartbreak, and just plain worry and pain. How could Paul say something like that?

Paul points us to heaven. All that suffering? It’s not even worth comparing. No matter how bad it gets here on earth, do you know what awaits us in heaven? Eternal paradise. A life with no death, worry, and pain. This promise of glory carries us through any suffering. Thanks be to Jesus, our Savior and our hope!