Joy in the Morning

Have you ever wept during the night because your heart was filled with sorrow?
 
Have you ever cried yourself to sleep because you were distraught over a life situation that burdened you, was breaking your heart, and crushing your spirit?
 
Have you ever soaked your pillow with warm tears because life had turned south and you had no idea what to do to turn things around?
 
Most of us have been there and done the above at one time or another.
 
I believe that the Psalmist David, who penned Psalm 30:5 was speaking from personal experience.
 
“Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”  Psalm 30:5
 
If you trace David’s life in scripture, you discover that he dealt with many difficult days throughout his earthly existence. He knew firsthand that weeping might last for a night. If David only focused on the weeping times, this verse would be a negative.  But he also knew that mourning was followed by a shout of joy the next morning. So this verse ends up very positive.
 
How can a negative (weeping) become a positive (joy)? And why would God want us to shout with joy in the morning after a night of weeping?  
 
A shout of joy comes in the morning after mourning all night because of who God is and what He wants to do in our hearts.
 
Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to soothe our sorrow and give us His joy (see John 15:15:11, 16:22). Mourning may be part of life. But joy in the morning is part of the abundant life Jesus paid the price for you and me to have. It is just like God to bring joy after sorrow.   
 
A sorrowful night may seem to last like an eternity. But sorrow has a short lifespan compared to the length of Christ’s joy. And morning does come…. A new day will dawn…. A new beginning…. A fresh start to experience the favor and blessing of God.
 
Psalm 118:24 reminds us to rejoice in each new day.
 
“This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Personalize this verse by confessing: This is the day which the Lord has made; I (your name) will rejoice and be glad in it.
 
David also writes in Psalm 118:15 “The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
 
Is joyful shouting heard in your house? Or does weeping and mourning fill the rooms of your home?
 
During difficult times, the principle of our verse for this week is this: CRY IT OUT THEN SHOUT IT OUT! 
        
Shout with joy whether you feel like it or not. I admit it is hard to shout when you are hurting and wondering if anything good is going to come out of your painful situation. A shout of joy has power to break sorrow’s grip on our emotions.
 
Shout with joy so God can hear your praise. Shout with joy so Satan and all of hell can hear you and tremble.  Shout with joy to set your course for the day ahead of you. Joyful shouting will put sorrow on the run.  
      
You and I are in trouble if we weep during the night and there is no possibility of a shout of joy in the morning. How hopeless would that be? Thank God we have a promise of joy in the morning.

You may be under tremendous pressure and stress right now. Life may be hard. You may feel overwhelmed by your circumstances. If your nights are currently filled with weeping and mourning, start your morning with a shout of joy!
 
Shout your sorrow away. The joy of the Lord is your strength each and every day.
 
What a way to start the day…. with a shout of joy!
 
“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b
 
“He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5
 
“Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou has loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; that my soul may sing praise to Thee.”     Psalm 30:11-12a
 
A Word For Your Week: Chase sorrow away with a shout of joy!