Weeping Then Joy

WEEPING THEN JOY

We may have or may not have experienced the loss of someone close to us. Maybe it was as a result of a separation, a divorce or even a death.  

That loss seems so difficult to accept at the time. We are left with a host of emotions. Some of those emotions are a feeling of overwhelming sorrow and even anxiety and depression sometimes displayed by intense pain and crying. These are all natural emotions necessary to express how we feel inside. 

It is very important to allow these feelings and emotions to be expressed fully. 

Even Jesus himself wept when his good friend Lazarus died. John 11:35 Jesus wept.

 This is recorded as the shortest scripture in the Bible. Merely two simple words that carry a long and meaningful message. The message that Jesus loves and cares for people. He cares for us and he possesses human emotions just like we possess. 

A lot of people think that Jesus only cried once, but Jesus actually cried 2 more times in the Bible. 

Luke 19: 41-42

41And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying if thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. 

Here Jesus wept over Jerusalem because of their rejection of him despite his great love for them.  They were blind and ignorant and failed to realize he was the Messiah. Jesus was offering peace with God everlasting but Jerusalem could not see it. Jesus knew the destruction that the city of Jerusalem would face  some 70 years after his death. 

and also in Hebrews, Jesus cried,

Hebrew 5:7 (NIV) 7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Here we see Jesus  carrying the weight of all of our sins on his shoulder. (both literally and figuratively). 

He knew what his mission on earth was and he felt deep sorrow for the destiny of the cross and suffering he had to face, so he began to pray and cry out to God,  and God heard his cries because of his reverence to him. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus knew his fate.   But Jesus finally accepted his fate because of his great love for us, just as God showed his great love for us by offering up his son, Jesus as a sacrifice for the redemption of the sins of mankind, our sins. 

Now, the Joy part! “ But Joy cometh in the morning!”  In Psalms 30:5, ( KJV) For his anger endureth but a moment: in his favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

This verse signifies that we may be sad or angry for a short while or for however long it takes us to process our feelings, but later comes acceptance and joy.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in John Chapter 11, We see his Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, in verse 5, it says , Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

We see in verse 35 that when Jesus arrived, he wept. But why would Jesus weep, knowing that he would raise Lazarus from the dead?  In vs 35, Jesus Wept.  Jesus cried to show compassion, He cried to show the disciples and Mary and Martha that he was sorrowful and had to show compassion in that moment. He Knew that he would raise Lazarus from the dead, but everyone else did not know that yet.  Everyone was filled with joy and belief in Jesus after Lazarus was raised from the dead.  Vs 45 - Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 

Here are a few more verses relating to Joy!.  Philippians 4:4(NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 3: 1-3 (NIV)  Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!  

1 Peter 1:8-9,(NIV)  though you have not seen him, 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, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Joy is what the Lord desires for us to have in our hearts for ourselves and for one another!

Joy, is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians Chapter 5, verse 22-23 - for the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 - gentleness and self-control. Against such, there is no law.  

Finally, we can have Joy in our lives, knowing that we will receive eternal life through Christ Jesus, who died for all of our sins. We simply need to accept him as our Savior and Lord.