Joy In Spite of Sadness, Hope In Grief’s Place

POSSIBILITIES reign in the land of the living; those in present sight are what joys might be known in sadness, and what hope might be overlaid grief.

Once we know this truth, we’re finally free.  Nothing that could otherwise encumber us can any longer.  The purpose in grief and sadness is to get us to this place — the place of accepting everything that comes, come what may.

Now, to get to acceptance we need to achieve a willing surrender, and we can only do that with enthusiasm when we see it’s worth it.

We trust in the eternal reserves of perspective, which is everything we cannot see.

There is so much we never see; it’s not that we can’t see it, it’s just that our perspective may block it.  Sometimes it’s God’s will that prefers not to show us.  Whatever holds perspective away isn’t the point.  The point is, life is in knowing we can’t know everything.

Life is in accepting the glorious beauty of a sorrow resting in our hearts deeply.

That may sound weird, or even wrong, but it’s true.  When we leave our hurting hearts open to the mystery of wonder, that we don’t know and can’t know what’s going on, God quietly makes his way in, and those hurts don’t hurt as much, because we don’t feel alone.

The Desiderata says “Be gentle on yourself,” and I love that.  I’ve found God saying that, into my heart, at times when I’ve been beside myself in grief and sorrow.

To not know, and to not need to know, in sorrow and grief, avails the tender Presence and peace of the Lord, to come on in upon our heart.

When we let go, we let God into our heart, and then healing can at last begin to take place.

Let God show us that joy is possible in sorrow; that hope can present itself even in grief.

© 2016 Steve Wickham.