Glory Ahead, Glory Within
Morning light breaking into a quiet room, a small picture of glory already prepared for us.
Devotional Credit
Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman, Romans 8:18
Photo Credit
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The verse in view tells a simple truth that meets us right where life aches. Our present sufferings do not belong in the same conversation with the glory Jesus has prepared for us. Ray Stedman points our eyes there with pastoral warmth. He reminds us that Scripture carries a steady rumor of hope, from the prophets to the apostles, that God is moving all things toward renewal and joy.
We do not dismiss pain. Bodies break. Hearts are wounded. Prayers run short on words. Yet the Spirit lifts our chin to see that the story is not ending here. The future is not a thin comfort. It is weighty, and it is sure, and it changes how we walk today.
Paul says that this glory will be revealed in us. Not only to us. That line lands like good news in the bones. Glory is not a show we watch from the stands. It is a life we share with the risen Jesus who lives in us. He will bring His future into our very selves, and into His people together, until creation itself is set free.
So we carry hope like travelers who already know the destination. We trust Jesus in the middle of the waiting. We lean into the Spirit’s steady companionship. And as Ray Stedman highlights, even the heaviest chapters cannot outweigh what is coming. The scales are not close.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am with you in this moment. I bear witness with your spirit that you belong to the Father as a son or daughter in Jesus. You share in His sufferings now, and you also share in His glory. Your present losses do not define you. I set your mind on life and peace. I pour the love of God into your heart. I remind you that you have died with Jesus and you live to God with Him, raised to walk in newness of life.
Creation groans, and you groan, and I groan within you. When words run out, I intercede for you according to the will of God. Nothing you entrust to the Father is wasted. Light and momentary affliction is producing for you an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison. Do not measure your future by what you see. Fix your gaze on what is unseen. I seal you for that day. I am the guarantee of what is to come.
Your weakness is not a wall to Me. It is the place where My power rests. In union with Jesus you are crucified to the old way of self rule, and you are alive to God. I will finish what I began. Christ in you is the hope of glory. I am forming the life of Jesus in you, patience in irritation, courage in fear, endurance in trial, gentleness in conflict, joy in the night. You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that I prepared beforehand. Walk with Me today, and I will express His life in you.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of unlocking a room you have not entered for a long time. You turn the key, step inside, and flip the light switch. The room was already built. The furniture was already arranged. The light does not create the room. It reveals what is yours to enjoy. In a similar way, the Spirit of Jesus turns the key of hope in our hearts and brings to light the glory He has already secured. We are not building glory by our effort. We are entering what He prepared.
A simple practice for today. When a hard moment arrives, like a tense email or a sudden spike of worry, stop long enough to acknowledge His presence. You might say, Lord, I entrust this conversation to You, live Your life in me as Your patience and truth while I type this reply. Then proceed, expecting Him to express His life through you.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that the risen life of Jesus is in me by Your Spirit. Thank You that present pain cannot outweigh the glory You will reveal in me. Thank You that I am sealed for that day, and that nothing can separate me from Your love in Christ. I rest in Your promise. I welcome the Spirit’s quiet work in my words, my reactions, and my choices today. Lord, I trust You to display Your life through me as steady hope, clean honesty, and durable joy. Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Romans 8:9-11; Romans 8:14-18; Romans 8:22-27; Romans 6:4-11; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 4:12-13; John 16:33; Revelation 21:3-5