“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

— Romans 12:12

Reflection

Three short instructions. Each one a discipline in its own right. Paul doesn't give us a formula for getting through hard seasons — he gives us a posture. Joy is not denial. Patience is not passivity. Prayer is not desperation. Together, they form a rhythm for the long walk. The hard days come. They always do. The question is whether you have a practice to carry you through them, or whether you're waiting to feel ready.