December 17
Joy in Suffering
Hebrews 12:2
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Essentially Jesus lived with an eternal perspective. He knew that “Weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning”. (Psalm 30:5) Admittedly, this is often easier said than done, but our earthly sorrows, as bad as they can be, are only temporary. Thomas Moore, in his song “Come Ye Disconsolate” said, “Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.” When we live with an eternal perspective, we begin to think as Jesus did when He said, “Not my will but yours be done.” Our suffering has an expiration date. Our joy? Never ending. True joy looks beyond pain to redemption.