All of Creation in the Arms of God by Robert Ricciardelli

All of creation belongs together in the arms of God, and our call is to bring the this message to all who will receive it. Jesus came to fulfill the vision of God's creation coming together in complete harmony. The wolf will live with the lamb, the cow and the bear will graze, and no harm will be done. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God. We are God's vision carriers to bring this hope to the hopeless.

Romans 8:20-21 (The Message)
That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.