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“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:22-23 NASB)
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Romans 8 expounds the incredible reality of God’s grace lived out in our present and future; however, the chapter also exposes the realistic pains that are our lot on this present earth. Much of that groaning this side of heaven is engendered by the niggling little bothers of life. Often it is not the major trauma that collapses our hope; rather the continual build-up of tiny splinters unhorses us. And those little pains are very often connected to people. As we all experience, interpersonal hurts can build up and dampen our enthusiasm for life. I was recently teaching on this painful dynamic (and rejoicing in the Holy Spirit who comforts and intercedes for the Christian through it all). After the lesson, a friend shared the following old Peanuts © cartoon. It brilliantly captures both the unquenchable joy that is ours and the little troubles that spot the landscape. 
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