Joy in the Midst of Sorrow
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.” Psalm 34:19
Death, illness, human brokenness…all have to be hidden from our sight because they keep us from the happiness for which we strive. They are obstructions on our way to the goal of life.
The vision offered by Jesus stands in sharp contrast to this worldly vision. Jesus shows, both in his teachings and in his life, that true joy often is hidden in the midst of our sorrow, and that the dance of life finds its beginnings in grief.
Here a completely new way of living is revealed. It is the way in which pain can be embraced, not out of a desire to suffer, but in the knowledge that something new will be born in pain. Jesus calls our pains “labor pains.”…
The cross has become the most powerful symbol of this new vision. The cross is a symbol of death and of life, of suffering and of joy, of defeat and of victory. It’s the cross that shows us the way.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you carried your cross with courage. Be with me as I carry mine.
Amen
