Weeping in the Night, Joy in the Morning

One of my favorite times of day is sunrise. The cold, quiet earth is gradually, gently woken by the beams of the radiant sun. What once was colorless in the black of the night now saturates into full color. There is freshness with the dawn, a hope of newness that intrinsically stirs the soul.

I believe that at our lowest, our souls crave dawn – this light penetrating beyond our physical surroundings deep into our minds and hearts. Unfortunately, on nights when weeping is my reality and sleep evades me, I don’t quite make it up for sunrise. In these moments of waking, it can feel as if my painful evenings will continue to push back my awaited mornings.

The truth is that this cycle of pain and joy is a natural rhythm of life. For some like myself, this rhythm may feel more frequent, but it is just that – a rhythm with a beginning and end. In depression, we can forget that joy can still come, that morning and its new mercies are a real and present hope. Each time I have chosen to trust this promise from the Lord rather than the seductive nature of my powerful emotions, I have lived to see a day where joy and light overtake the dark. Keep going, friends:  there is joy in the morning.

Resources:

If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or harm to another, please reach out to the National Suicide Hotline for anonymous counsel and resources: 988. If you’d like to connect with a counselor or pray with a pastor at Calvary, please contact our confidential 24/7 Minister On-Call line: 818-991-8040.