Joy in Sorrow
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000
Joy in Sorrow
That the true Christian can have a holy, God-given joy in the midst of
sorrow is a blessed fact of history from the New Testament on down to our
time. It is a wonderful, present reality. This type of joy one can know in
its fullness, once he is filled with the fullness of the Spirit of God, for
this is one of the prominent fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
This joy is what the apostles had when they were ill-treated by the
Jewish leaders and went away "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer shame for his name." (Acts 5:41). This is what Paul and Silas had
when with hurting, bleeding backs, and hard cold fetters binding them in
prison, they were able to pray and sing praises to God at midnight. (Acts
16:25)
This is the joy the suffering Christians had to whom Peter wrote these
words:
"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in
heaviness through manifold temptations: ... Jesus Christ: Whom having not
seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" (I Peter 1:6-8).
Notice that twice he uses the word NOW: "now...ye are in heaviness",
and "now ye see him not". In connection with the first now is both great
rejoicing and "heaviness through manifold temptations". "In heaviness"
means "to be grieved, to be made sorry, to be sorry, sorrowful". This
sorrow or grief is caused by the manifold temptations, meaning different
kinds of temptations or trials. These may even be multiplied thus producing
tremendous sorrow!
However, it is at the same time, now, that these Christians "greatly
rejoice", "with exceeding joy" (Vine's) or "jump for joy, i.e. exult"
(Strong's Concordance). This rejoicing was because of the reality of God's
power to keep them while they were trusting Him for their salvation and
eternal inheritance (see verses 4-5).
The second now has to do with not seeing Christ. But, it also indicates
that while not seeing Him, they are "believing" in Him, and because of their
faith in Him they "rejoice" (same word & meaning as "greatly rejoice" above)
"with joy" ("cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight" -- Strong's). And by these
words -- "unspeakable and full of glory" -- I dare say that we may partake
of "the Joy of the Lord", which is our strength. He so puts His joy and His
glory within us that we may not even be able to express its heights and
depths.
This great joy in the midst of sorrow is one of the things that is so very
attractive to a world that has trouble at times even seeing a reason to
live.
Well, do you have this kind of joy even in the midst of all kinds of
sorrows? If not, you can, if you will put your trust in Jesus and fully
surrender everything to His control. Then let Him fill you with His Holy
Spirit, His joy, and His glory.
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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