“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). 
So suffering and difficulty give us the ability to endure, but is that all there is? Do we just get better at putting up with suffering? No, according to Paul, there is a better end and a broader reason for the tough times we go through.
First of all, he says, that endurance or perseverance leads to development of our character. One translation says perseverance leads to experience. Well, isn’t that true! But the word literally means “tried worth, tried character.” It’s the image of something having been put through the fire and come out as gold—tested, tried, and found worthy. It’s the image of having been through the fire and emerging with only those things that matter. I think of those who have been through difficult economic times, like the Great Depression. Because they had so little, they learned what was important and what was not (I’m not sure this latest round of economic recession taught us all that much). Character is forged in tough times, when we learn what is vital and what is not. In times of loss, we learn how vital are those who really love us. In times of stress, we learn how important those are who help us relax. In times of change, we learn what is most important to hang onto. Our character is forged as we learn to endure difficult times.
But even that is not the end. Paul says as endurance leads to character, character then leads to hope. Hope is “a joyful and confident expectation,” a confidence that there is something better coming. As Christian people, we are Easter people, and Easter, the reality of the resurrection, reminds us that the worst thing is never the last thing. Jesus suffered and died a horrific death on the cross, but that was not the end of the story. Despite Rome’s best efforts, Jesus did not stay in the grave. Christian people are people of hope, believing that no matter how dark or difficult life becomes, that’s not the end of the story. The worst thing is never the last thing. Suffering leads to character, which leads to hope. And hope, Paul says, will not disappoint us. We have God’s promise that our hope will be fulfilled. Hope is not in vain. But he gets to that in the next verse, which we’ll look at tomorrow.