I was meditating on Romans 5:3. I had to stop at, “…we also glory in tribulations…” The Greek word for glory is to boast, to vaunt, to exult proudly. It is the same word that Paul used in 2 Corinthians 12:9.

He begged the Lord three times to remove his thorn in the flesh. The Lord stated, “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness…” Paul immediately replied, “…Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Now think of the trial you are in or have just come through. Did you truly glory in it? Did you boast to others about your trial? Romans 5:3 Amplified says, “Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.”

How does this all fit? We want to complain. Instead we switch gears to boast about our trial, and our flesh is instantly silenced.