Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m in an ocean of things to worry about, they come at me in waves of “what if’s,” “maybe’s,” and real losses. I seem to be semi-afloat but I feel like I’m taking in the sadness and sorrow as fast as I can bail it out.
The paradox of Biblical living and real life sometimes jars my soul, like opposites that cannot possibly be attracted to one another.
“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,” Paul wrote. (2Corinthians 6:10 NKJV)
On the surface, sometimes it feels like Paul was in a happy-go-lucky boat, paddling through prison,
stoning, and slander on smooth water, oblivious to the wild seas around him.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” he said. (1Thessalonians 5: 16-18 ESV)
But in my real world, I see so many struggles. They crash their waves around me. Marriages fail, parents mourn for their children, moral decay drags down our society, and death’s sting…really stings.
“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. “ (Philippians 3:1 ESV)
And again in Philippians 4:4;
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (ESV)
Yet, this continually-rejoicing Paul was the same person as honest-suffering Paul. He often wrote about joy with a heart full of pain. “For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.” (2Corinthians 1:8 ESV)
Paul talks about the heartache and tears he’d shed. (2Corinthians 2:1-4). He lists one seeming contradiction of Christian life with after another. (2 Corinthians 6:3-10). He mourns and is concerned about the churches. (2Corinthians 11:28) and he physically hurts from abuse.
“Through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (2Corinthians 6:8-10 ESV)
I mean, how in the world? How did he stay true and steadfast in the faith, through beatings, anxiety, sleepless nights, hunger, riots, and imprisonments, and then have the audacity to tell us to “rejoice in the Lord?”
How do I marry joy with overwhelming sorrow? How do I live in the paradox of two very different realities?
My husband says I have “heart.” I call it “weakness.” He says I feel with others. I say I could do with a whole lot less “feeling.” He assures me of God’s strength while I apologize for the sorrow that seeps out of my pores.
It’s hard, this life of hardships. And as I’ve had my little pity fest with Paul this week, I keep coming back to the way he intertwined sorrow with rejoicing. In one shuddering breath. With the same DNA joining them.
Paul centers his life’s happenings, the unfair, and the cruel, not within his strength and purpose, but in the Lord. His rejoicing had an end game.“In the Lord” doesn’t deny hurt and pain, but it summons the Root from which our joy grows.
In the Lord exists a bottomless well of praise. Circumstances change. He does not. Sorrow cannot alter the Lord’s character. The facts of salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace remain constant. In the Lord there are inexhaustible glorious truths. In all of eternity I will never be able to come to the end of all the reasons to praise His Name. I will never scrape bottom of the benefits that are mine in Him.
The Father looks to bless us through “rejoicing in sorrow.” He recognizes we cannot experience it floating along the easy happy-go-lucky lazy river currents. In fact it is in sorrow we become aware of overlooked and hidden praises. Practicing gratefulness demonstrates trust in the object of our obedient praise.
The events of life, those stormy seas we all go through, do not capsize the truth of Who He is, or where He dwells. He lives in me. He walks with me through every circumstance.
“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” It’s a paradoxical marriage.
As I bail out the salty tears and replace them with what I know to be true, it proves Him faithful again and again. In the Lord, the strong and steadfast position where my faith resides, testifies to the world that in Jesus even my sorrow has hope.
I don’t love hard things in life. I sometimes anticipate what is still to come with fear and dread. I worry over things I need to let go of. I feel deeply not just my suffering but the suffering of others too. Can rejoicing abide with sorrow?
Yes. And this transparent, stormy union shines its glorious light on a trustworthy Savior.
--------------------------------
And speaking about marriage, I had the privilege of publishing an article on the subject at Her View From Home.
Another article I recently wrote appeared on christianity.com. I’d be happy for you to take a look!
Discussion
Loading comments...