The Promised Joy

 

In one of my favorite scriptures, it says

“Weeping may endure for a night…”

Recently, our four kids all attended swim class.  This is something they do on a weekly basis, and each week they get an assessment of what level out of ten they are in their swim lessons.  Jonathan, my seven-year-old, moved up from level 8 to level 9.  Lauren, my five-year-old, moved up from level 7 to level 8.  Even Andrew, my two-year-old, is progressing really well.  After Samuel’s assessment, he moved from a level 4 down to level 3.

That night, I wept.

This was yet another moment of grief for us, as we watch our son’s constant seizures cause decline in his abilities.  Each week we witness more examples of his decline, and each week we have to go through the grieving process once again as his seizures slowly get worse and worse.

                The following morning, we went to a family reunion.  At this family reunion, there was a foam machine for the kids to play with.  Samuel spent the entire day standing in front of the foam machine just waiting for it to turn on again.  Once it turned on, he would laugh and laugh and jump up and down, flapping his hands in delight.  His joy was infectious.  Once again I stood by and observed in awe as my entire family turned toward my little son, everyone so happy and joy-filled as they watched his reaction to something so simple as some foam being made. 

That joyful morning was worth the night of weeping.

                Despite seeing Samuel declining and struggling with so many things in his life, and watching him drop to level 3 in his swim lessons, there is one area where he is a perfect 10, and that’s spreading joy.

                Every week I suffer through new experiences of grief with Samuel.  Far too many nights I spend weeping over the suffering my son endures and the knowledge that he is continuing to decline.  Nevertheless, experiences like the one I had that morning at the family reunion reminds me of the promise Jesus made each of us as we endure our nights of weeping:

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalms 30:5

Comments

  1. Platypus89August 12, 2024 at 9:17 PM

    This was very well written, and inspiring. That verse can apply in so many different circumstances.

    ReplyDelete

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