Sadness Turned to Joy

by Alexandra Copeland

A religious leader very revered by many told me once that he didn’t believe satan existed. I found his confession humorous considering the fierce challenges many true believers in Christ endure. After hearing his statement, I wasn’t surprised that he considered himself an expert theologian. He had chosen to believe bits and pieces of the bible but had relegated a great deal of it as erroneous or irrelevant. I’m baffled to this day that any believer of Jesus Christ would follow such a person’s leadership, but many do. Tribulation is very real, and the devil, the prince of darkness and god of this world, is the perpetrator of it. Jesus told the disciples in John 16:33 that they would have many tribulations and sorrows in the earth, but they should be encouraged through those challenges, because HE has overcome the world. 

When Jesus Christ spoke these words to the disciples, he was preparing them for what was to come. It was going to be an unbelievably difficult and heartbreaking time for them. They had walked and talked with the God who created all that we survey. He communed with them through the person of Jesus Christ and had taught them the wisdom of His Word. He ate with them, laughed with them, preserved and provided for them. They witnessed the many miracles performed by his hands. They were direct recipients of his devotion, compassion, and care; and here Jesus was, telling them that in a short while, he would no longer be with them.

None of us can know the disciple’s sorrow completely, but we know the depth of sorrow we often experience in our own lives, and it can be overwhelming. It can also last far longer than we expect. Sometimes, this sorrow is caused by the loss of someone precious to us, and other times it is a situation that undermines our confidence and catches us completely off guard. It takes us into the wilderness where we sometimes feel isolated and alone, where it seems that no one can understand what we’re going through.  

We will all have a wilderness experience, and the enemy will often tempt and test us even more as we’re going through it. Targeting our weaknesses and vulnerabilities is his specialty, and he does this to cause us to lose faith in God. Through the Apostle Peter, God warned us not to let our guard down during trying times. In 1Peter 5:8, He tells us to stay alert and watch out for our enemy, the devil, because he prowls around like a roaring lion that is looking for someone to devour. Piece by piece, the enemy would like to pick us apart, but God has equipped us with armor and commanded that we put on every piece of it so that we stand strong against ALL strategies of the devil. 

In John 16:9, Jesus Christ said that the world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in him. To believe in him is to trust God’s Word and know that Heavenly Father will never leave or forsake us. Are tribulations difficult? You bet! There’s no victory without a fight, and God tells us to fight the good fight of faith, and to hold tightly to the eternal life that He’s called us to.  

God has equipped us with the Spirit of love, power, and sound mind. Because of this, we can always come out of the wilderness stronger in Christ before we went in. In Romans 5:3-5, He tells us to rejoice when we face trials and tribulations. Not because we’re gluttons for punishment, but because they help us to develop the endurance to run the race He’s set before us. Our hope should be confidently placed in the joy of the Lord, and this hope will not lead to disappointment, because God loves us and has given us the gift of the Precious Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. We must remain grounded in faith through Christ, and we will come out of any tribulation with victory on our side. ■ 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.