The Agony & Ecstasy. (Romans 8: 18-30)

🎙️ Welcome back to The Bible Project Daily Podcast.

In today’s episode, we’re working through one of the most hopeful passages in all of Scripture—Romans 8:18 to 30—in a reflection I’ve titled The Agony and the Ecstasy.

Here, the apostle Paul speaks to a reality we all know too well: suffering. But he doesn’t leave us in the valley—he lifts our gaze to the horizon of glory, revealing how our present struggles are not wasted but are, in fact, the very path to our future joy.

We’ll explore the deep groanings of creation, the longing of the human heart, and even the silent intercession of the Holy Spirit—all pointing toward the hope and certainty we have in Christ.

So whether you’re walking through hardship today or simply wondering where God is in the pain of life, I invite you to journey with me and discover the glory that awaits on the other side.

📄 Episode Notes:

Title: The Agony & The Ecstasy
Scripture: Romans 8:18–30
Podcast Series: The Bible Book of Romans.

Summary:
In this moving reflection on Romans 8, we explore the paradox of the Christian life: how deep suffering and deep hope can coexist. The apostle Paul helps us see that present agony is not the end of the story—it’s part of the road to glory. Drawing on vivid imagery and profound spiritual insight, Paul shows us:

• The Groaning of Creation – The whole world aches under the weight of sin, longing for renewal.
• The Groaning of Believers – We, too, wait eagerly for the final redemption of our bodies, groaning not in despair but in hope.
• The Groaning of the Spirit – Even when we don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans, perfectly aligned with God’s will.

At the heart of this passage lies one of the most cherished promises in Scripture:

“In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28)

This episode reminds us that suffering, for the Christian, is not a detour—it’s the very road that leads to transformation, glory, and ultimate joy in Christ.

Key Themes:

• Suffering and perseverance
• Hope grounded in God’s promises
• The intercession of the Holy Spirit
• God’s sovereign plan and our future glorification

Reflection Questions:

• In what ways have you experienced “groaning” in your spiritual life?
• How does knowing that the Spirit intercedes for you change how you approach prayer?
• What might it look like to wait “with patience” for the redemption that is to come?

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• 21:45 (Cont.) The Agony & Ecstasy. (Romans 8: 18-30)

Transcript

The Agony & Ecstasy. (Romans 8: 18-30)

Transcript: 

Welcome back to The Bible Project Daily Podcast. 

Today our focus is on Romans chapter 8, verses 18 to 30, and I’m calling today’s reflection: The Agony and the Ecstasy.

Today, we’re exploring a passage that speaks to one of the most honest and universal truths of human existence—suffering—and why, despite it, we should still follow Christ. 

Former US Surgeon General M. Scott Peck’s classic book The Road Less Travelled opens with just three words: “Life is difficult.”

That’s true, isn’t it? From the moment we’re born to the moment we die, life is marked by challenges, problems, heartache, and trials. We all go through seasons where we see that life can be really tough?

Some newer Christians might assume that following Jesus offers immunity from suffering. But being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from suffering, it more enables you to work through it, rather than go around it and avoid it all together.

Paul, in his letters, shares openly about the sufferings he endured some because he was a servant of Jesus. Rejection, betrayal, abandonment. None of these are foreign to the Christian experience. In fact, these are the very things Christ himself endured. And if we are to be conformed to His image, we shouldn’t be surprised when we have to walk similar paths.

This might lead someone to ask: Why be a believer at all then? If following Jesus mean we don’t escape suffering, why would anyone sign up for that?

Well Paul answers this very question today in our passage from Romans 8….

Yesterday, we ended at verse 17, which says: “If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” That one verse contains the answer. Yes, there is suffering—but there is also glory right along side it.

Paul picks up  and runs with that thought even more immediately in verse 18:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

In other words: we embrace the agony now because there is something better to come. We walk through the hardship, not because we’re masochists or martyrs, but because we know where it’s leading.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul calls our present trials in life a “momentary affliction” producing for us an “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 

It seems for believers suffering itself can somehow, mysteriously be is part of the process of our future glorification. It's not a detour on the way to glory. It’s the very road that leads there.

That’s the idea I want to explore with you: The reality of suffering in the present, and the certainty of glory in the future.

Let’s read on in Romans 8, beginning at verse 19:

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children 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 freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

(Romans 8: 19-25)

Paul’s vision is cosmic. It's not just we who groan, all creation groans. 

The fall broke something in the natural order of things, and even now, the world aches and longs for restoration. Paul likens this longing to the pains of childbirth: intense, but purposeful. It’s agony, yes, but it’s an agony that leads to new life.

And not only creation—we groan too. 

But, we don’t groan in despair. We groan in hope.

And Paul says, “In this hope we were saved.” And hope, he reminds us, is not something we see—it’s what we wait for with perseverance. We trust in what’s coming, even when what’s now is hard.

But here’s the beauty: We are not left to endure this in our own strength. Because Paul also says, 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

(Romans 8: 26-27)

That brings us now to one of the most famous and comforting verses in all of Scripture:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.”

(Romans 8:28)

This doesn’t mean everything is good. But it does mean everything can work towards good. There is no suffering, no hardship, no groaning that is wasted. God is weaving it all into His sovereign plan to make us more like Christ.

Paul then further draws out this divine logic in verses 29 and 30. 

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

It’s as if Paul is saying: The glory is so certain, it’s as if it’s already happened.

So, what’s the takeaway?

Yes, life is difficult. Yes, we groan. But as believers, we groan with hope. We endure present agony knowing that ecstasy lies ahead. We may walk through hardship—but we do so with our eyes fixed on a future glory that far outweighs it all.

And that, my friends, is why we remain faithful. We know where the road leads.

But did you notice there are three types of groanings being described in todays passage.

1.     The Groaning of Creation.

Verse 22 says, “the whole creation groans.” Back in verse 19, Paul describes creation as eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God—this is when our full glory as God’s children will be made known at Christ’s return. Until then, the world is straining toward that day, like someone craning their neck to see something coming.

Paul reminds us that creation didn’t choose its suffering. It was subjected to futility—to emptiness and decay—because of human sin .

Paul also uses the image of childbirth: the whole creation groans and suffers labour pains. That’s a powerful metaphor, pain that is real and intense, but pain that leads to joy and new life. Creation is not groaning in a slow painful death, but in expectation of rebirth.

Just look around: storms, decay, natural disasters. It’s like creation itself is sighing, crying out under the weight of sin’s effects—longing for the day when all will be made new.

2.     The Groaning of Christians.

Then in verse 23, Paul turns to the fact: “That we also… groan within ourselves.” Just like creation, we too are waiting—for the final piece of our salvation, “the redemption of our bodies.” We’ve already received the first-fruits of the Spirit, the Spirit himself, and the early evidence of his transforming work—but we’re still longing for the fullness.

This is the already-but-not-yet tension of the Christian life. We’re saved, but not yet complete. We have the Spirit but still live in frail human bodies. So, we groan, hoping for what we do not yet see. And Paul says: this is what hope really is—waiting in trust for what’s not yet come.

Part Three: The Groaning of the Spirit.

Earlier in Romans 8, in verse 19, Paul told us that creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. And now, in verse 23, he draws us into that same longing. We ourselves are waiting, yearning, groaning for that final big reveal. Our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies. It’s not just our souls that will be renewed. Our whole selves—body and spirit—are waiting to be fully redeemed and made new. That day is not yet, but we wait for it with hope.

Now, we should pause on that word hope. In the modern world, we often think of hope as something uncertain, "I hope it doesn't rain," or "I hope I get the job." But in the New Testament, hope is something much more solid. The Greek word used refers to a confident expectation. A hope grounded in the promises of God. It's something future, yes, but it’s not uncertain. It's sure, though not yet seen.

And that’s Paul’s point in verse 24: "We were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?" We don't yet see the full redemption of our bodies. We don’t yet see our glorification as children of God. But we hope—we expect it. We anticipate it with confidence, even as we groan.

And we do groan. The world groans. I believe Paul is also showing us that this groaning is deeply tied to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Earlier in this chapter, he told us we walk by the Spirit. That we are to be spiritually minded. That we are to be led by the Spirit. These are all the marks of His presence—the first fruits of the Spirit in our lives.

And here's the thing: When we begin to truly live by the Spirit, when the Spirit begins to conform us to Christ, we start to long—even ache—for the completion of His work. 

The taste of His presence in our lives now makes us hunger for the fullness to come.

The Spirit’s work now stirs a sort of holy discontent. In the midst of suffering, we groan—not in despair, we’re yearning for something more and better. And so, we, along with all creation, groan in anticipation of the glory that’s coming.

But we’re not alone in our groaning the Spirit Himself groans also. “Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses”. What is this weakness? Some suggest it refers to our physical frailty, others to our moral weakness. But I believe Paul is speaking about our ignorance.

Look closely at the structure of verse 26. Paul says the Spirit helps our weaknesses—for we do not know what to pray for. That word “for” tells us he's explaining what he means by our weakness. It’s not just that we are weak—it’s that we’re limited in understanding. We often don’t know what to ask of God.

And so, the Spirit intercedes. He prays for us. And this prayer comes, Paul says, with groanings which cannot be uttered. 

That’s important. Some have interpreted this as speaking in tongues. But Paul says these groanings cannot be uttered. They are unspoken. 

I my view this is not our speech—it is the silent, divine communication of the Spirit with the Father. Tongues, by definition, are spoken. But here, Paul is describing something deeper and quieter: the Spirit of God, within us, speaking to God the Father in ways we cannot ourselves even express.

Verse 27 says, “He who searches hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” In other words, even when we can’t express our prayers, God hears them—because the Spirit is praying for us, perfectly aligned with God’s will.

That’s a deep comfort. When our words falter or our minds are foggy, the Spirit never fails. He intercedes faithfully and effectively.

This is the mystery and mercy of the Spirit’s help: we don’t always get what we ask for, but we receive what we truly need. The Spirit prays in harmony with God’s perfect wisdom. And when we stop trying to control both the outcome and the process, and instead trust in God’s plan, we discover that His will is not only better—it’s best.

Paul has been showing us a world groaning. Creation groaning, we groan, and the Spirit groans within us. Why? Because we live in a fallen world, waiting for full redemption. But while we wait, Paul tells us to “wait eagerly with perseverance.” Hope leads to endurance.

And then, verse 28 gives one of Scripture’s greatest promises: “All things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” God has a plan, and everything—joy, sorrow, success, suffering—is woven into it.

But this promise is specific: it’s for those who love God, who walk in the Spirit. Not all believers live this way. Jesus rebuked the church in Revelation for leaving their first love. Love for God shows itself in Spirit-led obedience.

Romans 8 has painted this picture already:

·         We walk by the Spirit (v.1, v.4)

·         We are spiritually minded (v.6)

·         We are led by the Spirit (v.14)

·         We suffer with Christ (v.17)

·         We wait in hope (v.25)

And now Paul says: if that’s your path—if you love God and live in step with His Spirit—you can rest. Everything in your life is being drawn into God’s redemptive purpose.

That’s the assurance. Even your groaning. Even your waiting. It all has meaning.

Then Paul outlines the steps of that eternal plan in verses 29–30:

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified..”

These are the stages of salvation:

·         Foreknew – God’s love came first. He didn’t just foresee our faith—He chose us in love.

·         Predestined – We are shaped into Christ’s image, often through suffering, as Christ suffered.

·         Called – God summons us through the gospel.

·         Justified – By faith, we are declared righteous.

·         Glorified – Spoken of in the past tense because it’s as certain as if it’s already happened.

Notice what’s missing: sanctification. That’s because this part depends on us. We must walk in the Spirit. We must choose to live into what God has declared.

So, what’s the takeaway?

You can be certain of glory—if you’re walking with God. His plan is sure. And everything in your life, even the hardest parts, is being used to shape you into Christ’s image.

So, take heart. Trust the process. God is not finished with you yet.

God’s purpose is to conform us to Christ—and ultimately to glorify us. But the path to that glory runs straight through the furnace of suffering, and the choice to walk by the Spirit.

He started out saying: this is going to involve suffering. That’s guaranteed—because God foreknew His purpose, and He predestined it to be, and it will be. 

In fact, verse 30 says, “these He also glorified.” That’s past tense. In the Greek, it’s a tense used to speak of completed action. But we haven’t been glorified yet, have we? That won’t happen until the return of Christ. Yet it is so certain, so sealed, that God speaks of it as if it’s already done. It’s guaranteed.

We will be conformed to Christ. All believers will be. We will be delivered from the presence of sin. We will have a body like His glorious body. 

But I believe—and I only say it in passing—some will be more like Christ than others, because they more endured more and responded with fortitude to the process of being conformed.

To sum up what we’ve heard today I would like to offer a practical suggestions:

First, suffering is a reality. Let me say that simply and clearly:

If you are not a Christian, life includes suffering.

If you are a Christian, life still includes suffering.

Even if you are a Christian walking closely with Christ, suffering is still a fact of life.

The sooner we understand that, the better off we will be. As Scott Peck opened The Road Less Traveled, “Life is difficult.” But he also went on to say, “This is a great truth, one of the greatest. Because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it… Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we accept it—then life is no longer difficult. Because the fact that it is difficult no longer matters.”

This passage begins with suffering—but it doesn't end there. It says there’s not only suffering now, but glory later. And I believe the degree of that glory is shaped by how we respond to our suffering now.

All of us suffer. But not all of us respond to suffering. You can suffer and grow angry or bitter—and you will not be conformed to Christ. Or, as verse 25 says, you can endure. As verse 28 says, you can love Him, and obey Him. And if you do, you will be conformed to the image of His Son now—and glorified with Him later.

The passage starts in verse 17: “If we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together.”

It ends in verse 30: “Those He called, He justified. And those He justified, He glorified.”

How much glory you experience later depends on how you handle the suffering now.

How closely you are conformed to Christ now will depend on how you respond to the pain now.

So yes—there is a cross now, but a crown later.

There are groanings now, but there will be glory later.

There are hurts now, but hallelujahs later.

There is agony now—but there is ecstasy later.

And it is guaranteed. The more you respond in love, in obedience, in faith—the better it will be.

Let me put it to you this way:

Jesus Christ does not guarantee you immunity from the storms of life.

But He is your perfect security in the storm.

He never promised an easy passage—

But He has promised a safe landing.

So yes, there is agony. But there is ecstasy to come as well. 

If you respond well. There is conformity to Christ. There is eternal joy.

When our heart is right with God—everything is right. We are all at school. And our great Teacher, with a capital T, writes many good lessons on the blackboard of affliction.

So, hear me, please and hear me well:

There is agony now, yes.

But we groan toward the glory that is to come.

And the sufferings of this present time—

they are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Hallelujah and amen.