Joy Is Everlasting

“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” John 16:22

Sorrow is something we have all faced. It comes in many forms. It comes in the form of grief after saying goodbye to a loved one; it comes in disappointment when receiving unwanted medical news; it comes in a broken heart when aspirations aren’t accomplished; it comes in stress or anxiety after a traumatic experience; and the list can go on.

Did you ever experience sorrow, but felt too guilty to admit to it because you knew others around you were having a worse time? Everyone has something they are going through, and it is okay to show and share our sorrow. Sorrow shows us our joy.

Joy is a fruit of the spirit, and it can be difficult to maintain. Just turning on the news shows us how sad our world is. But we have to remember that joy is different from happiness. Happiness comes from situations and people, while joy comes from our faith in Jesus Christ. It is not temporal, but everlasting. This we can remember when we are experiencing a tragedy. Joy comes from faith through God’s grace poured out for us on the cross. Yes we are filled with sorrow, but we have joy in knowing that once we make it through the tragedy we have the promise of eternal life. I can only imagine what joy will feel like then. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the joy You place in our hearts, which is everlasting. May we remember the joy when we are going through sorrow. Amen