By: Becca Tomasello
John 16:22 - So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy
Have you ever been around someone who seemingly has their whole life crumbling in front of them, yet they seem joyful?
About the Scripture
John 16:22 NLT says “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” Sorrow and happiness are much the same, they are dependent on the circumstances that surround us. When we have good jobs, a nice home, healthy, thriving children we are happy. However, as soon as one of these items falls out of place, we find ourselves in a place of sadness and stress. While these are very natural and valid feelings to have, John 16:22 reminds us that through faith in Jesus, our joy can never truly be stolen because it remains with the Lord.
My Story
8 years ago, I was depressed and struggling. I wasn’t always kind. I was sure I would never be happy again. I had just had another of many miscarriages. My husband and I had just started planning how we were going to announce this pregnancy to our parents on Christmas. We had been filled with excitement and happiness, but my body had failed me again. Since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a mother. I couldn’t understand why God would allow me to have such a strong feeling of motherhood, but allowed my body to reject every pregnancy. It seemed that every time I saw a glimpse of hope of fulfilling that dream, my body was rejecting it. I was angry at myself, I was angry with God, I was just angry.
It was sometime around 2016, and at the time I worked for The Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters. Each Wednesday, devotions were held for staff members at noon. One particular week, I did not want to go, but a friend and coworker asked me to go with them. The message was about the Joy of the Lord. I do not remember much of what was shared, however, one line has stuck with me. Major Joyce Hartshorn said, “Happiness comes from what is happening, but Joy comes from Jesus.”
Reflection
When I think of having joy in the Lord, I think of the book of Job. When thinking about Job, joy is probably the last thing you think of. Job had a wonderful life, and he lost everything. All of his possessions, gone. All of his children, died. His health, gone. Job was feeling sorrow. Yet, Job still praised the Lord. He praised the Lord through all his grief and despair. Praising the Lord did not take away his grief and hurt. His circumstances certainly warranted all of the hurt and sorrow he was feeling. Job probably felt further from God than he had ever felt before. Yet Job chose to continuously praise the Lord. Job’s wife, who was also hurting, encouraged Job to curse God. In Job 2:10 NLT, he responds with, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” Job knew that while life was difficult now, the Lord was still near. He knew the joy of the Lord was still with him.
In our trying times, we have a very unique opportunity. We can choose to be like Job’s wife, wanting to curse God and turn our backs on Him, or we can choose to be like Job. While God did not create Job’s troubles, He did allow for them to happen. Though Satan tried to rob Job of his joy, Job realized that we have to take the good with the bad and we need to continue to turn to the Lord. It would have been easy for Job to give up, and it definitely seems like the easier route for us when we are in turmoil. Job remembered something we often forget: God is good in all circumstances. While Job was feeling grief because of what was happening in his life, he had true joy in the Lord.
Job was faithful to God, worshipping him in the midst of his sorrow. He turned to God while he was hurting instead of running from God. Because of this, Job made it through his trial and was blessed by the Lord later in life.
Invitation
The holidays in particular are difficult when we are going through trials and sadness. It is hard to see past a recent loss or the first holiday after a loss. When your child is struggling with an illness, it’s easy to only focus on the pain and suffering. How can you enjoy Thanksgiving when instead of smelling turkey and pie; you smell the sterileness of a hospital?
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT reminds us to "Give thanks thanks in all circumstances.” While not everyday is good, there is something good in everyday. I want to remind you to continue to praise the Lord. Remain faithful. This season will pass, and you will again feel the Joy of the Lord.
Prayer
Dear gracious Heavenly Father, we are here today to express our gratitude for the many blessings you have provided us. You have given me so much as your child. Not only do you provide the things we need to live, but you have given yourself to us. You are the source of all the good things we have in life. As you are our loving Father, we want to be open and honest with you. This holiday season, some of us come with heavy hearts and weary minds. While we give you many thanks, we must admit that we are filled with sadness because some of us are celebrating from hospitals, with sick children, or this holiday season, that empty spot at the table weighs extra heavy on our hearts. We know that these circumstances we are facing were not because of you, nor were they part of your plan. Please Lord, help us to see your goodness in all of this so we draw us closer to you and our loved ones. Please fill our hurting hearts with your joy. Teach us to appreciate the moments, big and small. These moments will be what we remember most. Thank you again Lord, for blessing us through our trials, for loving us when we are in darkness, and for continually revealing your goodness, especially when we miss it. In Jesus we pray.
Becca Tomasello is a writer for Praying Through Ministries. She has a Bachelors Degree in English and a Masters Degree in Children's Ministry. She has been working or volunteering in Children's and Youth Ministry for 10 years.
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