no one will take your joy

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

- John 16:22 (NIV)

 

It’s the holiday season, supposedly the happiest time of the year.

But it’s not.

Last year on December 1^st I posted this verse and wrote these words: 
December can be a very trying month. People suffer from seasonal affective disorder (“SAD” - depression associated with late autumn and winter and thought to be caused by a lack of light) and dealing with holidays after loved ones are no longer here on earth. 

I was dealing with my own grief that day, having just put my mother into hospice care and she passed away just two days later.

This year has been odd for me emotionally, things I didn’t think would affect me have put me into almost bi-polar episodes as I laugh about something then burst into tears.

We all deal with our depression, sadness and mourning in different ways, but one thing to remember is this – we have joy in Jesus.

Jesus told the disciples that He was going to die but that they would see Him again.

He told them that it is OK to mourn because they would rejoice when they see Him again!

We are assured by the words of Jesus that one day we will see our loved ones again.

Someday we all will be reunited, not only with our own families and loved ones, but also with the people of God from all ages as one huge loving family.

We will spend our eternity in fellowship with those we loved here on Earth.

It is acceptable to mourn the passing of a loved one, we must process these losses and still remember that we’ll be with them again. 

Our sorrow will turn to joy when we go running into the arms of our Heavenly Father.

#dailybreadbykitty

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