My Dearest Sister,
If you watch the news, listen to the radio, or read the paper, then you know it is impossible to get very far without finding out about some horrendous act of violence, terrible accident, or unfortunate set of events. These stories never cease to shock and sadden us and so often they seem to come faster than we can even process them: Bombings, building explosions, homicides, kidnappings, school shootings, horrific car crashes. It is impossible to hear of such things without feeling some of the devastation, sadness, and fear that have gripped the lives of those involved. As a result, these stories are so often a reminder of the frailty of life, of how suddenly we can have our families, our homes, our security, and even our very happiness ripped from our grasp in one tragic moment. So how do we, dear sister, approach the topic of joy in the light of all the sorrow around us? If everything we have in this world can be taken away in a split second, as these stories and even some of our own lives have testified, how is it possible to have any lasting joy at all?
The answer to that question lies in the source of our joy. Most of us in this world have at least some measure of happiness invested in our earthly circumstances, and as we should, for I do believe that God wants us to enjoy the blessings He has given us. However, we know that all things in this world will one day come to an end, meaning that any joy tied to this world will end as well. The only way we can have true and lasting joy then, my beloved sister, is when the main source of our joy does not come from this world, but from the promise we have in Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-4 assures us of this promise, saying we have an eternal future with our Savior, one that is “incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away”. Peter continues on in verses 6 and 7: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith… tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” You see, God knew we were going to have hardships and suffering in this life; But He also instructs us through Peter to rejoice that these trials are temporary and instead we have an eternal, undefiled inheritance in Him to look forward to.
Jesus Himself says we will not be strangers to sadness while waiting for His return, but also tells us that the joy that is to come will outweigh any heartache we will experience on this earth: “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:20-22).
I don’t know about you, but words cannot express the hope that fills me when I read that promise! Not only does Jesus intimately know my sorrows but He also has given me the assurance of that sorrow being quickly changed to joy when I see Him for the first time. And furthermore, He has promised me that no one can take that joy away; It is permanent and will not fade for all eternity. The hope we have for this joy is what keeps us going, through all the trials, all the pain, and all the sadness we will experience on this earth.
So you see, my sister, suffering and joy are inextricably tied together. We cannot experience the joy Christ has set aside for us without going through the fiery trials. Indeed, it is the sorrow and the sadness that actually cause us to look forward to this unfading joy with such steadfast hope. If we had nothing but an easy life filled only with happiness, then the promise of eternal joy would not have nearly the same impact. Therefore, we have every reason to rejoice in the face of our earthly trials, knowing that they will one day be replaced by more happiness than we can possibly imagine. My response then, to the earlier question of how we have lasting joy in a world of strife and sadness is this: We have had it all along! This permanent, unfading joy has already been promised to us as believers; That’s the beauty of God’s plan for us. Yes, we will still experience sorrow and pain in this life, but the hope we have in the joy that is to come is ours to hold on to. No one can take it away from us.
With this promise of eternal joy in our hearts, we can stand strong in our faith no matter what sorrows, tragedies, or horrific trials befall us. Know, dear sister, that this kind of resolute faith is powerful. It is how Jesus’ disciples and followers were able to go preach the Word, bearing up under the weight of ridicule, tortures, and even death. Because of his faith in the joy to come, the apostle Paul was able to sing praises to the Lord while shackled in dark and gloomy cells. And every martyr, minister, and missionary throughout the world has been able to face the daily threats, dangers, and persecutions for the same reason: They all lived every day on this earth in the light of their eternal future, always focusing on the joy that was set before them.
My final question to you is this: If we had the same grasp on the lasting joy that is to come, what would we do differently? Maybe we would live each day a little more for the glory of God and a little less for ourselves; Maybe we would stop caring so much about what other people might think or do if they didn’t agree with our faith; Maybe, just maybe, we would be able to share our hope for lasting joy in Christ Jesus with someone who has none at all. Don’t be discouraged, my lovely sister, by the sorrows and troubles of this world, for we know they are temporary. Instead, live today and every day in the light of your eternal future, always looking unto the joy that has been set before you in the Lord.
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Your sister and friend,
~ Lauren Titcomb