Last week was emotional for me. I wanted to be in California for our youngest grandson’s birthday, but we couldn’t quite pull it off. Add to that other issues and by week’s end, sadness was my prevailing mood.
The Scriptures do not use words like sad or its opposite—happy. No matter which translation I searched, there were only a couple dozen references to “happy.” The Scriptures focus much more on “joy,” with hundreds of references in each translation.
My sadness last week was based on circumstances that were out of my control. Many times, circumstances produce either sadness or happiness. The thing we must remember, however, is that our relationship with the Lord in any and all circumstances produces “joy.”
In his first letter, after Peter addressed the fiery trials his readers were experiencing because of their faith in Christ Jesus, he reminded them, “Though you have not seen [Christ Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” [1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV]
That inexpressible and glorious joy [joy unspeakable and full of glory] resides deep within us even while our circumstances produce sadness or happiness. That joy is produced by love and faith and salvation and our relationship with our Lord and King.
Father, I thank you for the deepest joy that resides always. Amen and Amen.
