Grief to gladness – Shilpa Dhinakaran

“….your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20)
 
Dear friend, today’s promise from God is from John 16:20, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” What a wonderful verse this is! It is such a comforting verse to all of us. The Lord says, “No matter how long you have been grieving and how many tears you have shed all of them will be turned into joy. This is the same thing that happened in Hannah’s life in the Bible. Hannah was so upset and heartbroken that she did not have a child. She used to cry all the time. People used to make fun of her. But in just a day the Lord changed everything.

God turned all her grief into joy. The Bible says in Psalm 30:5, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” In the same place where you are grieving the Lord is going to fill you with joy. Sometimes you might wonder, “I have been grieving for so long. How ill this ever change?” But when you hold on to this promise surely your grief will turn into joy. I have seen in my close circle how people who have lost a loved one, especially my aunt when she lost her husband there was lot of grief. They were such a lovely couple and I couldn’t see them suffer. There was so much of sadness but the Lord comforted her. Even in the midst of the grief there was joy. Even though she was feeling sad she was able to rejoice in the Lord.

In the same way, the Lord is going to turn your grief into joy. The Bible says in Psalm 126:5 & 6, “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” May be you are weeping because of the shame you have gone through and the hurtful speech of people. May be you have not seen the promises of God fulfill in your life yet. May be you are struggling because of a weakness in your body but whatever your sorrow is, continue to hold to the truth that the night will break into day and surely your darkness will turn into light. You will rejoice.
Prayer:
Loving Father,

You are aware of my waiting for a blessing and You have seen my tears. Thank You for Your promise that You will turn my tears into joy. Thank You for You will turn my darkness into light. Give me the grace to testify of Your goodness. All glory be to You.

In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.