Can grief and joy coincide?
Here, today, with Christmas upon us I cannot help but think of the ones I have lost this year. My friends mom, who was near to my heart passed just two months ago and it still feels unreal. She loved Christmas. Her home was always fully decorated with Santa’s and angels, stockings and twinkling lights. I spent several Christmas’ with her and her family over the years and through missing her myself, I am hyperaware of the mourning that is still taking place by many people from her life.
How can we find joy in the season when grief looms like a dark cloud?
The truth is, joy -when rooted in Christ- is not the same as simple happiness. Joy is a deep, penetrating emotion which reverberates throughout us despite our situation or circumstance. Therefore, grief and joy can walk hand in hand together.
The story of Christmas, itself, is a prime example of joy and grief uniting. The world in which the Son of God was born was full of grieving and sorrow. During the time of Jesus’ birth most children were not living past ten years of age. And then the arrival of a Savior, broadcasted by angels through a majestic display of lights, was great joy. The news of a gift that would change the world was an astounding joyous occasion.
Now, think about our Creator. Was God filled with grief or joy when He sent His Son to live on earth? The grief of the future sacrifice He would make yet the beautiful abundant joy of bringing life and light and salvation to the world joined together through an inseparable bond through the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
Grief and joy are never far removed from one another. One emotion can easily access the other. Neither emotion is ever far from your embrace. Yet, grief is a tightness in your chest. Grief is a crashing wave. Grief is lingering and heavy. Grief is the emotion we don’t want to experience, we are ready to be rid of it as soon as it sweeps over us and yet this unwelcome visitor persists. Unfortunately, and this is what the work of Christ teaches us, without grief we would not cherish joy.
Without the sorrow and terrible pain that explodes into our hearts upon hearing of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross we would not be filled with gratitude toward His perfect gift of salvation. When we accept His gift we can obtain an ever presence joy that surpasses all understanding. This does not mean pain does not exist for the believer. Having joy within your soul does not translate to no more sorrow -eventually, but not yet.
A life following and clinging to the strength of Jesus results in coinciding emotions that give way to one another. Placing the Savior above all else in our lives offers solace in our storm, peace through our pain, gratitude in the grief.
Photo by Morgane Le Breton on Unsplash
