Joy in the Morning
Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning. – Psalm 30:4-5 (CSB)
What a hopeful verse. It teaches us a lot about spiritual joy. First, it teaches us that we should always praise the Lord, even when things are hard, because He deserves our praise. He loves our joyful songs (Psalm 100). Second, we’re taught that we should consider it great joy when we experience trials. The valleys we have to travel test our faith and grow us in Him. And third, if we know the Lord in a saving way, whatever we endure, whatever we go through, we have the hope of joy in our salvation. We may not find an end to our physical or emotional pain here on earth, but there will be a beautiful and joyful morning when we meet our Savior face to face.
I once heard a pastor ask, “What is joy?” The first response could’ve been your first answer. “Happiness,” a man declared confidently. He wasn’t wrong, but in a spiritual sense joy is so much more. We aren’t always happy, but joy in our salvation is always with us. Joy was given us when Jesus was born. In the Christmas story, Luke writes that an angel appeared to the shepherds telling them to not be afraid because he brought them good news of great joy that will be for all the people. That includes me and you.
Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 15:16 that he found the Lord’s words and he ate them. That means he took them into his heart and they were a delight and a joy. God’s Word should be a joy to us, too. It’s here for us anytime our heart yearns for joy. If you’re having a hard time feeling joy in the Lord, think about what Jesus did for you on the Cross, accept His forgiveness of your sins, and be at peace knowing He loves you and now lives in you. And He holds you in the palm of His hand.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Can you feel joy when you are sad?
2. Can you feel joy when you are angry?
3. How long can a night be in God’s eyes?
4. Think of ways that the word morning makes you feel.
