I picture her there at the foot of the cross, lost in a haze of sorrow and torment as she gazes upon the body of her precious son. I cannot imagine the pain, the anguish oozing from every fiber of her being, just liked the blood oozed from his pierced side.
I imagine her just a few short days later, finding that he had indeed been resurrected.
What joy must have filled her heart knowing her son was never to face death again. That great burden of sorrow could be lifted and she could find joy and hope in the promise of spending eternity with her son.
“Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 NKJV
We are no different than Mary. We face sorrows in life, and can feel like we are caught up in sinking sand. We cry out to God. We question why. Our hearts are overwhelmed and sometimes, we see no way out of the pain.
I have been in that place of pain. I have felt the sorrow and despair. But I have been able to find the joy again because God doesn’t leave us there, stuck in our misery and sinking in that sand. He pulls us up with His mighty hand, He encourages our hearts with His mighty hope, and we shake that sand off and carry on.
The joy will penetrate the pain and bring light into our darkness if we lean into Him during our times of sorrow. He will place people in our paths that will encourage our hearts and hold us up as we fight our way back to a joyful spirit.
Where does that joy come from?
It comes from knowing we are not alone, and despite the pain we are walking through, there is hope on the horizon. Joy is knowing that each day is a new opportunity to heal. Each day gives us a chance to take just one more step away from the sorrow that engulfs us.
Joy is believing that His word is true when it tells us he has great things ahead for our lives.
Joy is found in knowing that for every valley we walk through, there is a mountaintop waiting to be conquered, and He will give us the strength to make the climb.
Sorrow is a definite. We will not escape it. It is as much a part of life as the air we breathe and the sun on the horizon. But when we place our hope in God, He will bring us to the other side of that sorrow into a place of joy, an attitude of hope, and a true sense of peace. His word makes this promise to each of us who call on his name.
If you are caught up in sorrow, cling to the promises of His word and let His love bring you to a place of peace, hope and understanding. That is where the joy is found.
Betty Predmore
About the Writer: Sharing the gospel through writing and speaking is one of Betty Predmore’s favorite things to do. She engages her audiences with her easy, conversational style. Her words reach women’s hearts and make them pause and ponder the possibilities of a beautiful life with Christ.
Betty has written two devotionals, Pondering Virtue and Whispered Grace. She has contributed to several collaborative book compilations and written for numerous Christian magazines and blogs.
Betty is a wife and mother of seven including biological and adopted children. (Family is the fodder for many of her entertaining stories.) She is also Grammie to some sweet little ones. Betty enjoys spending time with her people, her books, and Jesus.
Betty is the founder of Mom-Sense, Inc., a non-profit women’s ministry where she offers hope, encouragement, and prayer to women across the country and beyond. You can visit Betty on her ministry page at www.momsenseinc.org or on Facebook @Betty Predmore,Author, Speaker& Founder of MomSense or @momsense.
