On Christian Joy

“Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is a fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11.

My son has spent the past few days pretty sick, and fighting off his first cold. While it has been sad to watch him suffer, watching him has also made me reflect on suffering, specifically on joy in suffering.

Little Man had been fussy for a few days leading up to him getting sick. Nothing huge and I just chalked it up to him teething. However, he woke up a few days ago obviously sick and miserable. I was getting ready for a fussy baby over the next few days when I saw something that surprised me. He continued to flash me his brilliant smile. 

I’m not saying that he was not miserable, because he still was, and would still have moments of being inconsolable. But he still found a moment to be full of joy! He found joy playing with the puppy on the couch, in the stuffed animal that the doctors gave him after his exam, and in the family time that we spent together before he went to bed.

How many times as an adult do I find joy in the moment, even through my suffering? I will admit that I can be the first person to revel in my suffering, allowing myself to be miserable and not taking the time to see the joy in the little things, like something funny a family member did. 

Many times throughout the Bible, God calls us to rejoice in suffering. In fact, in his letter to the Romans, Saint Paul reminds us to, “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5.

I pray that all who are suffering now find relief and peace, not just through healing, but also through the joy and hope in Christ.