Mar 30, 2007 - Joy comes later

Mar 30, 2007

Psa 30:5 NET
(5) For his anger lasts only a brief moment,
and his good favor restores one's life.
One may experience sorrow during the night,
but joy arrives in the morning.

God is an jealous God. He will need to show that jealousy as what appears to be anger to us. When we are being corrected for what we have done wrong in our life, it may appear to us that God is angry. He is not really, He is showing His love for us. Correction never feels good to us. I never liked it when my mom or dad corrected me, much less a teacher or a boss. My kinds were no different. It is most likely a human trait that has been here for a long time, at least to David's day.

Why would God shows what looks like anger to us. As noted before, correction may appear like anger. Though it is painful to us, it is necessary. Why? Because we want to be on the good side of God. You see, that correction will only last a short time, but our life with God is going to be an eternity. Would you rather live eternity without being in the presence of God? Or would you be willing to take the correction.

The psalmist goes on to say that sorry will be like a night time of pain, but when the sun comes up, we will be able to walk in the joy of the Lord. When you are going through the darkness it is often hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Years ago, just after I had come back from running away from God, I had a huge mountain of debt in front of me. I saw no way that I would be able to make my way through that. All I could seem to do was chip away it, little by little. Now 10 years later that debt is gone. If you had told me ten years ago that I would be out of debt, I would have looked at you like you had grown horns or something. I was in the darkness, the sorrow. God was having a time of adjustment in my life. The sorrow was so heavy on me I had a hard time praying and a lot of other things. Now 10 years later, while not rich beyond my wildest dreams, I have what I need and have advanced so much in my relationship with God. I would not go back and change that time of correction, it made me what I am today.

When you are in correction mode, remember there is light at the end of the tunnel, joy comes in the morning.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.bible.org . All rights reserved.