~ written by Connie Dunmyer
Some 35 years ago, 
through no fault of our own, we found ourselves without a job and without a home. I had two small children, ages 9 years and 18 months. My 18-month-old had chronic breathing issues and required doctor visits 2-4 times a month. And now we were to be without health insurance. I remember specifically telling God that HE would need to be my daughter’s “insurance”. And so we put everything we owned into storage, and made our way to live with a family member. It was one of the darkest times of my life. This exile lasted for 2 years, and was ironically broken by Hurricane Andrew, (...a story for another day.) I tell you this story not for sympathy – but so you will understand that the following is not "mere words", or a "nice idea". They are true and they are power.
Just before we left our home for the last time, I received this scripture:
Romans 8:18-21 – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed IN us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
There are multiple things happening in this passage. It’s PERSONAL (it’s certainly personal to me) – but it’s also GLOBAL (in that it affects others, everyone in fact). When we suffer, we do so "alone". At least that's how it feels. We think we are “the only ones”. However, we’re not really alone. And we are not “the only ones”. For even though we may not realize it, others see. Others are also part of that suffering story. And others have their own suffering points with which they relate.
Having gone through that time, and subsequent tragedies, I know this to be true: whatever our depth of suffering, it is merely digging out a larger area which will hold more and more glory and blessings. To overflowing!!
Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Notice in verse 18, it’s not that glory will simply be revealed – somewhere, sometime, to some other person. It’s that glory will be revealed IN US. Not 'might' or 'may be' – it “will” be. KJV says “shall”. And it won’t be “around” us – it will be IN us. This is a promise from the Father to every single one of His children. Somehow God is able to take the really bad stuff and turn it into good … IN ME, in each of us.
Sometimes with the change we experience internally, we are then able to share that goodness with others. However, what’s first required is a very personal, private matter – a trust relationship “created” between God and me that cannot be explained nor understated. It’s the point. It’s the purpose.
So as I am suffering, I am waiting. But I’m not to wait in despair, but rather IN EAGER EXPECTATION for God to be revealed. I did not choose this suffering. Who would? But our Sovereign Father has subjected me to it by His own will. That might sound harsh to some. It can seem unfair and even mean. Then again, how many times had I thought my own parents mean and unfair, and yet they were not. They knew better. If I have learned anything in my 65 years of life, it’s that I serve a loving Father God; and that I am not God; I am not Sovereign; I cannot see down the road. His ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). But His ways ARE always Perfect.
Not only am I waiting, but the whole of creation is waiting. Waiting for what? For the “sons of God” to be revealed. The whole world is waiting for me, for those of us who call ourselves Christian, to show up. Clearly the “world” doesn’t know that’s what they want or need – and in fact, others often hold us in disdain and contempt. But they still have that need that they don’t know how to fill. They have that “Jesus-shaped-hole” in their lives, which only Jesus can fill … to be liberated from decay to freedom. And somehow even my personal suffering, the crap I go through, liberates me and others from bondage and sets us both up for glorious freedom. Miraculously turning what is evil, into good.
Genesis 50:20 – You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Yes, there is suffering. And the “glory” to be revealed is not necessarily answers to my prayers, or even a miraculous cessation of suffering. The “glory” is actually JESUS Himself. And JESUS is being revealed IN me – in us. Not only do I recognize Jesus as my Comforter, my Peace, my Deliverer - - but the glory that shall be revealed in me IS ACTUALLY HIM. So others will see Jesus THROUGH my sufferings.
So then the question becomes: HOW AM I REPRESENTING JESUS during these times? What “Jesus” am I revealing to others WHILE I’m in my “present sufferings”?
Are my thoughts and desires and actions,
an EXTENSION OF CHRIST
– not of self –
but of the Spirit who dwells in me.
Not just a visitor. But my permanent Resident.
If the glory (Jesus) is being revealed in me – then what are others seeing? Are they seeing my worry? My venting? My anger? My confusion?
Or are they seeing my peace – that is inexplicable? My faith? My joy in the midst of sorrow? My absolute trust?
That’s the glory. That other crap is just the natural me. Why would anyone recognize they need Jesus if that’s what they see. They HAVE that already. What they need is the glory to be revealed.
For the “glory to be revealed”, I must lose – destroy – the deeds, the typical reactions, to my suffering. Then the glory – Jesus – can be seen. And THEN creation will see what it’s been eagerly hoping for.
I most assuredly don’t have this all figured out. And I’m not sure if I’m doing a good job revealing His glory even now – but I think I’m better than I once was.
Philippians 3:12 – Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
A counselor friend of mine recently relayed a story about how most Christians think they just need “more” information to “fix” their need. But in reality, what they and we need is to “put into practice” that which we’ve already learned. This is very true. Let's keep pressing on, to reveal Jesus ... for me, for us, for them.
Oh – and by the way – my 18-month-old never needed another doctor visit for her breathing issues ever again. All her symptoms were gone immediately. Now that really is “glory revealed”.
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© 2025: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.