“Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:5, CSB)
Following Jesus is a truth-filled adventure. It’s easy for us to put on plastic smiles and pretend that we’re fine, it’s fine, everything is fine. But by trying to fake it, we miss out on the true joy found in Christ.
Sorrow, grief, stress, pain, tension, drama, and failure happen to us all. The Gospel promises that all those are temporary and fleeting compared to the joy of knowing Jesus. We shouldn’t pretend we aren’t experiencing sorrow or anything in the above list. While acknowledging our present reality, we must also look joyfully toward the greater reality of knowing Christ.
The key to this joy is abiding in Christ. In John 15, Jesus taught about the need to abide in Him. In part, He taught, “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9–11, CSB)
The question is, where are we looking to find our joy and happiness? Are we hanging our joy on our life’s circumstances? Are we expecting sorrow never to come our way? Are we ashamed because of what we feel? Those are one truth. But there is a greater truth to grab onto. “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1–2, CSB)
The Bible says, “You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,” (1 Peter 1:6–8, CSB)
So, we recognize the lesser truth of our sorrow, grief, stress, pain, tension, drama, and failure and celebrate and rejoice in the greater truth of knowing Jesus Christ’s love and saving grace.
“Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24–25, CSB)
Other verses for this promise (Compiled by David Wilkerson)
- Psalm 126:5
- Psalm 126:6
- Nehemiah 8:10
- Psalm 33:21
- Habakkuk 3:18
- John 16:22
- Psalm 64:10
- Psalm 147:3
- John 15:11
- Romans 14:17
- Psalm 45:7
- Isaiah 12:3
- Psalm 16:11
- 1 Peter 1:8
- Psalm 68:3
- Isaiah 55:12
- Psalm 40:3
- 1 Peter 3:14
- Proverbs 16:20
- Psalm 89:16
- Deuteronomy 26:11
- Psalm 5:11
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