The Morning of Joy by David Jeremiah

The Morning of Joy Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 The sixteenth-century poet, St. John of the Cross, wrote a poem titled Dark Night of the Soul. While his poem was about the search for ultimate union with God, the title has come to be illustrative of those periods in which the joy and light of God is dim, if not hidden. Every Christian goes through occasional “dark nights” in their journey of faith.

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:17

Scripture does not hide the reality of dark periods in the faith life. Almost every major biblical character went through periods of doubt or suffering—but always to emerge into the light of God’s presence and joy (for example, Psalm 32). David seems to have this theme in mind in Psalm 30 when he says: “Weeping may endure for a night.” But he also knew that, just as morning follows night, “joy comes in the morning” (verse 5). David wrote, “You put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (verse 11). Are you currently in a dark night of the soul—or do you know someone who is? Keep walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and look for the morning of joy to come. Only to sit and think of God, oh what a joy it is!  Frederick W. Faber