Rejoicing Comes in the Morning

Hear the word of the Lord from Psalm 30:

I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.  O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.  O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. Sing to the LORD you saints of his; praise his holy name.  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken."  O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.  To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?  Will the dust praise you?  Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.  O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
_________

The message contained in these words provides great comfort for those who are hurting or experiencing dark days of the soul.  From beginning to end, there is a  promise of deliverance.  Whether from the depths, grave, or pit, from crying or from wailing, the Lord provides rescue.  And the result is healing, favor, joy, and dancing.  So, then, we are promised that if we call out to God, we can expect to be delivered from our problems and be happy for the rest of our lives.  

Huh?

Dictionary.com defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something especially good or satisfying." Despite our tendency to think differently, it is possible that this definition speaks to more than health, wealth, and success. The hard truth is that the "something especially good" may not be the curing of a fatal illness, but the reunification of the family facing the situation. The "something...satisfying" may not be the return of the wayward child, but the deepening of faith experienced by the parents.  The job, the relationship, the health, and the finances may never really improve. Regardless, joy and a witness of praise can still come in the morning, if they are rooted not in the world's definitions but in that which comes through Christ.