In the early 1800s, as silence crept in and hearing slipped away, Ludwig van Beethoven composed what many believe is his greatest masterpiece—his Ninth Symphony. Deaf, isolated from the very sound that defined his genius, Beethoven still managed to write music that thundered through concert halls and moved the world. At the symphony’s debut, the crowd erupted in applause—but Beethoven couldn’t hear a thing. A violinist gently turned him to face the crowd so he could see the joy he could no longer hear.
In many ways, we live like that—composing our lives in silence, surrounded by brokenness we can’t fully explain. We know something is off. We see wars and natural disasters, feel pain in our bodies, face conflict in relationships, and sense a quiet ache in our souls. We groan, waiting for something better, for glory we can’t yet see.
But Romans 8:18–25 reminds us: the groan comes before the glory.
The Weight of Suffering, The Hope of Glory
Paul writes, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Suffering is not ignored or dismissed here. It’s real—raw, painful, and relentless. Paul doesn’t sugarcoat the human experience. He names it: creation groans, we groan, even the Spirit groans (Romans 8:26).
But Paul also insists there’s something more—something coming that will outshine every sorrow. It’s not that our pain isn’t real. It’s that glory is even more real. So real, in fact, that when we see it, we’ll realize all this groaning was worth it.
This is not wishful thinking or escapism. It’s grounded hope. And Paul offers two powerful signposts of that hope.
Signpost #1: Creation Will Be Freed from Corruption
Creation isn’t just a backdrop to our suffering—it’s part of it. When Adam sinned, the curse of sin didn’t just affect humanity; it fractured all of creation. The ground was cursed, death entered, and everything began to decay. The result? A world filled with earthquakes, floods, disease, and death. Creation itself is groaning, Paul says, like a woman in labor.
But even in this groaning, there’s hope.
“The creation was subjected to futility… in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20–21).
God subjected creation to futility not in despair, but in hope. Why? Because a day is coming when creation will be liberated. The world that now groans under the weight of sin will one day burst forth in newness—vibrant, free, and glorious.
It’s a reminder that this world, as broken as it is, is not beyond redemption. The same God who cursed it in judgment is the God who will redeem it in glory. And creation knows that. It’s waiting, even now, for the moment when the children of God are revealed in their glory—because when we’re glorified, creation will be too.
Isaiah paints this picture with poetic beauty: wolves lying with lambs, children playing near once-deadly snakes, peace reigning where fear once ruled (Isaiah 11). That’s the glory to come. Creation is not forgotten in the plan of redemption. It’s central to it.
Signpost #2: Believers Will Be Liberated from the Curse
Paul then turns from the groaning of the earth to the groaning of believers. “Not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23).
We groan too—not because we’re faithless, but because we’ve tasted what’s to come.
Paul calls the Spirit within us the “firstfruits.” In the Old Testament, firstfruits were the beginning of the harvest, offered to God in faith that more was coming. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is God’s down payment—His promise that the full inheritance is coming. The Spirit reminds us that though we live in brokenness now, something far better awaits us.
And so we groan.
We groan because we’ve tasted joy, but still battle sorrow. We know peace, yet face anxiety. We walk in victory, yet struggle with sin. We know we’re adopted—but we’re still waiting for the full experience of that adoption: the redemption of our bodies.
This is the “already, not yet” tension of the Christian life. We’ve been adopted, but we haven’t yet come home. We’re heirs, but the inheritance hasn’t been fully revealed. We’ve been saved, but we still battle.
And yet, we wait—not with despair, but with hope.
The Hope That Holds Us
“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24).
Hope is what carries us. Not wishful thinking, but confident expectation rooted in God’s promises. Hope that knows the night won’t last forever. Hope that understands our groaning is not pointless—it’s pregnant with purpose.
Like a mother in labor, we wait—not because we’re weak, but because the glory to come is worth it.
So Christian, don’t waste your groaning. Don’t let your suffering lead you to despair. Let it drive you deeper into Christ, who is the hope of glory. Let it press you into the Spirit’s arms, who groans with you. Let it stir your heart to long for what is to come.
You’re not groaning alone. All creation groans with you. The Spirit groans within you. And the Father has promised that this groaning will one day give way to glory.
What About You?
Maybe you’re not a Christian, but you know something is broken—something’s not right in the world, and maybe not right in you. You feel the groaning too. But without Christ, your groaning won’t lead to glory. It will only lead to judgment. Yet even now, the hope of glory is open to you.
Jesus died to take the curse you bear. He rose to give you the glory you can’t earn. And He invites you to trust in Him—to turn from sin and receive the Spirit who guarantees your redemption.
The groaning you feel isn’t just pain—it’s a call. It’s a whisper of eternity. Don’t ignore it. Let it lead you to Jesus.
Until Glory Comes
Beethoven couldn’t hear the masterpiece he composed—but that didn’t stop him from writing it. He kept going, even in silence, because he knew the music was real.
So keep going. The silence may be loud, the groaning may be deep—but the glory is coming. And when it comes, it won’t just be heard—it will be seen, felt, and experienced forever.
Face to face, you will see Him. The curse will be lifted. The groaning will end. And glory will thunder through the universe like music you’ve never heard.
Until then, wait with hope.
Watch the entire sermon. The Groan Before the Glory: Why Our Suffering Is Not in Vain
