Joy Comes
by Elizabeth Turnage
TODAY’S TREASURE
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30:5, ESV
Tears began slipping out even as I left the doctor’s office. I let them flow fully once I was safely inside my car. Tears of sorrow for what I had not known was possible in the past two years. Tears of joy for what I had gained in a fifteen-minute procedure. Tears of wonder—is this really how other people walk around? Without pain gnawing at their hips with every stride?
Because of joint hypermobility and an unspecified connective tissue disorder, my joints often feel like they’re being seared in a hot frying pan. When the pain gets intolerable, I seek treatment. The morning of my tears, I had received cortisone injections in both hips. The lidocaine filled the joint space, yielding a pause in pain, a sweet and satisfying temporary relief. I had been limping for around two years.
When we encounter David in Psalm 30, he has also discovered relief, relief from God’s anger at his sin, rescue from the mockery of foes, restoration of health, and resuscitation from the “pit of death” (Psalm 30:1-5 NLT). Now, he rejoices and invites us to join him, “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name…. For his anger is for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime” (Psalm 30:5).
David remembers his agony; he remembers his foolish season of self-sufficiency; he sees how he discovered the Lord’s strength in his own weakness (Psalm 30:6-7). David thanks God for the temporary relief he has known, but he persists in seeking a more permanent restoration of his joy, “To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy; What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?” (Psalm 30:8-9).
David understands that seasons of joy and seasons of pain may come, but if he trusts in the faithfulness of the Lord, he will know joy continually. It is this certainty that has turned David’s mourning into dancing, this certainty that has clothed him with gladness.
This same certainty will cover us in peace and hope: God has already cast off the burden of our deepest pains, that of our sin, placing it on the back of his Son. One day, he will relieve us of our earthly limp forever. In that day, we will dance in glory, we will sing in joy, we will shout our praise.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we thank you for sweet relief, for moments, days, and seasons when the dark clouds of pain give way to your warm rays of comfort. Help us to dance in this joy and sing praise unto you forever. Amen.
Further Encouragement
Read Psalm 30.
Listen to “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” by Page CXVI.
For Reflection
When have you felt relief from pain on your journey? What brought that relief? Thank God for those moments.
Excerpt from Recovery to Restoration: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace and Hope in Crisis, by Elizabeth Turnage; used with permission.
Elizabeth Turnage, writer, story coach, teacher, and the founder of Living Story ministries (www.elizabethturnage.com). She is passionate about helping people learn, live, and love in God’s story of grace. A blogger and the author of three Bible studies published by P&R Publishing, she is a popular conference and retreat speaker. Elizabeth is married to an orthopedic surgeon, Kip Turnage, and they have four adult children, plus three added by marriage. They are also the devoted “parents” of their personal therapy dog, Rosie.
Elizabeth Turnage, author of: The Waiting Room and From Recovery to Restoration
Sharon W. Betters is author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness and co-author of Treasures of Faith. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.