“…Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Are you going through or have you been through a period of suffering, a trial, a series of trials, that seems like an endless night? I have! You may cry out to God, “When will this end, Lord?” You may question God, “Why must I face this hardship?” I have sheepishly and shamefully asked these questions. The suffering may be obvious to those around: a loss, a diagnosis, a family problem, a financial problem, a disaster, and the list is unending. But are all trials outwardly present? No. Sometimes, great trials are internal. No one knows that you are suffering and struggling. It can feel so lonely.
You know that the Lord is near. You prayed. You cried out to God. You know He answers prayers. Why won’t He answer this one? Why does He seem so far away? You feel guilty for being so selfish. You know He answers according to His plan, His will. You do not doubt that, BUT…the “why” haunts you. You go to God, and you praise Him, and you thank Him for all good things. But this struggle still overwhelms you. You read the Bible. However, this present suffering wears upon you, and you sense a gap in your intimacy with the Lord. You feel the distance.
Then, you begin to fear barrenness and honesty before God. It is too difficult to tell Him that you are upset, that you are downright angry with Him. Oh, you know the theology, that God is big enough to handle it. You are just embarrassed that you have actually let yourself settle into the resentment and the anger you have toward your benevolent God. You may have tried to convince yourself that you don’t have a problem in your relationship with the Lord. No troubles, but an absence of true joy. Worry lurks in your heart and your mind. It feels dark.
If He would just alleviate this one thing….or if I could just have this circumstance improve….or if this person would just…Oh, how you and I can fall into Satan’s trap, into his lies of deception. How do you get out of this cycle? How do you stop the worrying, end the weeping, and receive the joy?
Grieving while suffering is normal. But moving through the grief is necessary to maintain a correct relationship with the Lord. Simply take His hand and follow Him. Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Confess your feelings. Confess your fears, your doubts, your anxieties. Tell Him what He already knows. Weep before Him. Then, surrender. Let go. Hand it over. Leave it with Him. Ask Him to take it, to lift it, to lighten it. Affirm that the outcome is up to Him. The answer is in His hands. But ask. Ask in faith, believing. Ask what you will. And allow Him to align your heart with His plan. He will do it. He wants to carry your burden. Ask and allow Him to fill you with His joy, even if the tears continue to flow. Celebrate in your heart the hope of your future in Christ.
Thankfully, there is a time that the night is over, that the darkness ends. The sun rises and shines, and everything looks beautiful, fresh and new. The mercies of God are new every morning. Rejoice in His forgiveness. The displeasures of this world are temporary, but the joy of receiving forgiveness in Christ is eternal. Today, you are clean and set free. The Son of righteousness arises with healing in His wings. On that Day, in the resurrection morn, the dead in Christ will rise first, and be like him, and reign with Him forever.
I ask myself this question: “Will you yield, Brooke, to His purpose today?” Only there, I find rest in my spirit, peace, and “the joy that comes in the morning.” I pray you find His rest and peace in your difficult circumstance, and may He fill you with His joy today. The joy of the Lord is your strength!
Hello! I'm Brooke.
