Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5 ESV
Throughout my years of reading the Scriptures, this verse has been one of my favorites. It has brought such a comfort into so many hard places. When night fell it seemed that the problems always loomed much larger in the dark than in the light of day. And as my heart ached with the weight of so many burdens, I held tightly to the promise that the Lord would bring the dawn of His light–the night of the trial could not last forever. And He did bring such peace to my heart as I watched the light dawning in so many of those dark, hard struggles.
However, when chronic illness fell upon me several years ago, I found this verse taking on a literal meaning that hit me in a new way. The physical pains brought new tears in the evening. Every time I lay down, needing rest so deeply, the throbbing would heighten. Every time I finally drifted off to sleep, a jolt of fresh pain would awaken me. And the anxiety that accompanied so many of the medications brought nightmares and levels of pain that finally left me weeping before my Lord.
“How long will this night last, Lord Jesus? When will You bring the rescue?”
And every morning, when the rising of the sun would finally light up my window, I could hear His words echoing in my heart:
“Rejoice, my child! We made it through one more night! My own heart is filled with joy to see you trusting Me even here.”
I could hear His words, and I could rejoice in the sunlight, but I could not rejoice at the coming night that I knew would fall again, all too soon. Recently though, He has been asking me to offer even that pain in the night up to Him as an offering. It has made little sense to me until I came across these Scriptures recently. Words that again, I have read so many times, suddenly jumped off the page for me:
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV
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I am so blessed to be sharing words over at my good friends’ Mandy and Michele’s site for their Legacy Link-Up this month. To read the rest of this post,
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A GIFT FOR YOU
And I am so very blessed to offer to you, all my readers, a gift for this coming Christmas Season. Two years ago, my friend Ifeoma Samuel invited me to join her in writing a special month-long celebration of Christmas Family Devotions. And this year, she has so graciously compiled them into a beautiful book for download. You will find 25 short Devotions that are easy to read with your family during Advent. There are enriching activities that you and your family can join in with, helping to bring the joy and meaning of this Season more clearly into your lives.
HE CAME TO US!
Christmas is God’s gift of grace to us. And I pray that the gift of this e-book would be another way to share in that grace together. I will be offering this book here, available for free download to you my readers during the months of November and December. I am so grateful for each one of you.
I am linking with:
BettieGsRAseasons 
Bettie, what a powerful and soulful way to expound upon Psalm 30:5. I’m so sorry for your chronic illness and pain. I can’t imagine because when my back is bothersome or other ailments, it’s the dark of night that seems the worst! Heading over now to read the rest!
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Thank you Karen, for all of your kind words and encouragement. He does take us so much deeper into His heart of love for us through all of the trials, doesn’t He? I am praying blessing for you this week.
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Bettie, thank you. Some of the women I love most are living with incredible physical pain. May the words He speaks over them give them, and all of us who watch helplessly on the sidelines, deep hope and solace.
Bless you.
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Amen. What a sweet prayer for all of your friends, Linda! I join you in that prayer. And may we all feel how deep and how wide that love of our Lord is for each of us. Blessings to you as you love your dear ones.
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Bettie, thinking of you and sending love and soft hugs.
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Thank you so very much Melissa. He continues to take me deeper into His heart of love through every one of these trials! Blessings, love, and soft hugs to you also dear friend!
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Oh Bettie, God is teaching you such deep heart lessons through your pain. He brings you ever closer to His heart. In those dark nights of your pain, God’s light of love shines all the more gloriously in your words. May the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings in your heart and life! Love and blessings to you!
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Dear Trudy,
Thank you for all of your sweet support and encouragement. I know you understand the ways that God meets us in our painfilled places. He shines His love so brightly for us there. I appreciate your precious Scripture prayer today! Amen may He arise here today in my heart. Love and blessings to you dear friend. xoxo
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There is a lot of sweet support and encouragement here. I love how God shows that you bring Him joy in the morning, too, through your sweet love for Him!
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Dear Lynn,
Yes, isn’t that amazing, to realize that He takes delight in us? But what a precious truth to cling to as we trust Him in the hard places. He is our best encouragement. Blessings to you this week dear friend!
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Psalms 27 :1 – The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
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Oh thank you so much for that precious Scripture, Dear Athira! HE is our stronghold! May I learn to trust in HIs light and salvation ever more & more. Love and hugs and blessings to you!
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My favorite verse 🙂
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Its inspires me a lot in my day to day life Bettie…
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It is such a great inspiration! We used to sing a song from that Scripture many years ago. So good to remember and sing it again!
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🙂
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How long oh Lord, how long?
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Amen. He is here in the waiting. I am so thankful for His grace! And thankful for your prayers too. xo
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Dear Bettie, it saddens my heart to read about the huge level of pain you are experiencing. How I wish I could pray it away or offer hope it will end. But though it all you shine with a holy glow because these searing depths are places where God speaks powerfully to you and Scripture comes alive on the inside in answer to your tears and anguished prayers. In sharing this you create a thirst to hear from God ourselves during our own dark and pain-filled days and nights. And more than that, you inspire us to look up, to keep looking up to Jesus and see beyond the things that ails us.
The illness and pain might not go away or even reduce in intensity, yet alongside them we find a deeper treasure than we ever imagined. Thank you for sharing your struggles and how you are coping with them with God’s help. It stirs faith just to read what you are going through and how God responds to you. We cannot endure but He can! And His joy awaits us when we hear from Him. PS: I left a comment on Mandy and Michele’s site but wanted to comment here as well. Blessings and love. xoxo ❤
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Dear Joy,
Your compassion and understanding for what I face in these daily trials is such a gift to me. We truly do find that deeper treasure of our Lord right here with us in the midst of the pain and the weakness. I am so thankful that you were encouraged and inspired here to look up to Him also. He carries our offerings to the Father and brings us such peace as we wait with Him. I long to remember and rest in those thoughts, when every fresh wave of pain hits. But it seems like I must re-learn it every time. I suppose that He knows how I would easily become distant and trust in myself if left to my own devices. OH He is so gracious to us! Thank you for praying and staying here in these places of trust, my dear friend! Love and hugs and blessings to you across the ocean! xoxo
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Hi, thanks so much for this wonderful post. It really uplifted me this past two weeks. I selected it as my favorite on the #LMMLinkup.
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Oh Dear Mary, thank you for your kind words, and for mentioning me at the Linkup this week. I am so grateful that the Lord comforted you here, as He continues to speak those same words of comfort to me during the hard nights. You are in my prayers dear RASister.
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