Sorrow to Joy
Isaiah was inspired to write of Christ, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Isaiah 53:3). His life was typified by sorrow and grief. No wonder, as all men had rejected Him when He came among us in physical form to give His life to redeem us from sin’s penalty. But He endured it all for the joy that it would bring to all those who would turn and come to Him.
What about us? Should we be sorrowful people too? Well yes, as we come to recognize sin in our lives, we should experience the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. But it should not be sorrow alone. In Luke 6:21, Christ said, “…Blessed are you when you weep now, for you shall laugh”.
The sorrow associated with repentance will lead to the happiness that being close to God brings. King David wrote, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:1–3).
Additionally, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). A heart made merry by God’s mercy upon our repentance will be spiritually invigorated. And the transition from sorrow to joy is not limited to pleasant times but to the difficult as well.
The fruit of living God’s way changes us internally. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:7–8). The more we mature and live God’s way from the heart, the happier we become because of the internal transformation taking place.
However, we know that we can still be weakened by living under the influence of an evil world, but there is a way out. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25). Sharing the joy of internal transformation with those who may be overwhelmed will help to restore the joy that comes with change.
So yes, we will sorrow in an evil world, but there is also the joy that comes with God living in us as we develop spiritually. “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:6–8).
Marshall Stiver
