But always there is the potential for joy. No matter what, we can know an internal defiant joy because death has been defeated. He doesn’t ask us to ignore our grief but to invite Him into it that we might bear it together. The sorrow and grief that come are real, and we have a God who is well acquainted with them. He is committed to making us the mature bride of Christ:Īnd not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance, proven character and proven character, hope and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2–4 tells us to “consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. In fact, God is going to use it for even more good to come into our lives. The suffering doesn’t have the final say. We can have joy because we are engraved on our Father’s heart and on Jesus’ nail-scarred hands, and in Christ we are victorious. And nothing can ever separate us from that love. We can have joy, no matter what sorrow or suffering we are currently enduring, because we have been chosen by the Father and He will never turn His face away. Our God goes before us, and He is behind us, around us, and within us. Because as we walk through this valley of this shadow of death, we are never abandoned or alone.

Because God’s mercies are new every morning. We can have joy, because we can know God’s strength in our weakness.

Wild at heart Joy (film)