“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
Paul writes to the believers in Rome to remind them of the incredible hope they possess in Christ. Their present trials were real, painful, and often overwhelming—but they were not permanent. Paul lifts their eyes to something greater: the eternal glory waiting for them in the presence of God. Later he adds, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8:25 NKJV). In other words, the Christian life is a life of looking forward—leaning into the promises of God even when the present feels heavy.
All of us face seasons of difficulty. No one escapes the valleys of life. Pain, loss, disappointment, and hardship touch every human heart. God never asks us to pretend those moments don’t hurt—He created us with emotions. But He does call us to let those moments push us toward Him, not away from Him. Our trials should remind us to run to Jesus, to seek His comfort, and to anchor our hearts in His promises. Like Paul, we must learn to compare our temporary suffering with our eternal inheritance—and realize there is no comparison at all.
I remember a man God brought into my life in my early twenties, someone who became like a father to me. During a season marked by loss, depression, and deep hurt, he would gently remind me to “count my blessings.” Not to minimize my pain, but to help me see that God’s goodness was still all around me. He would say, “There is always someone going through something harder than you.” I didn’t understand the depth of that wisdom then, but I do now. It taught me to step back, look around, and recognize how truly blessed I was—even in the middle of sorrow.
Even in our challenges, most of us still have a warm bed, a roof overhead, food to eat, and more than one pair of shoes. We are blessed beyond measure. More than that, we have an eternal inheritance in Christ—glory, peace, and joy forever with Him. That is the hope we cling to. That is the promise we wait for with perseverance.
Take a moment today to count your blessings. Not to ignore your pain, but to remind your heart of God’s goodness. What has He given you? How has He sustained you? What promises has He made that your suffering cannot erase? Lift your eyes from the weight of today and fix them on the glory that is coming. Your present trials are real, but they are not worthy to be compared with the eternal joy that awaits you in Christ. Let that hope strengthen you, steady you, and fill you with gratitude as you walk through whatever this day brings.
“Present afflictions are not worth comparing with future glory; they are but a moment’s trouble for an eternity of triumph.” — Thomas Brooks
surrendered devotions 