Joy Comes in the Morning

For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5
When I read this verse a few weeks ago, I immediately thought of the times when my children were babies and would wake up at night - sometimes for many hours at night.  Nighttime feedings sometimes seemed to go on and on.  I would think to myself, "If only I can make it until morning, then it will all be alright."

Why is it that if we're tired or troubled or angry or sad, at night it seems even worse?  Why is it that if we can't sleep at night the hours seem to drag on and on, but the daytime hours seem to go so much faster?  I think it's because of the darkness of night.  We can't see much outside and it makes everything seem gloomy. Sometimes darkness seems scary or even evil.

But JOY comes in the morning!  Everything seems better, and often is better, in the daylight.  What we might have been worried about or scared about at night, in the morning may seem like not so big of a deal.  But sometimes it is still a big deal, but in the morning it seems like everything will be okay despite that fact.

If my babies were up in the daytime for hours and hours without napping, I might have been tired, but it wasn't the exhausting feeling that I had during the night.  Joy always came in the morning, with the dawn of a brand new day.  I knew I could make it - no matter what - as long as the sun was up!

The promise of a new day is comforting, even in exhausting, sorrow, grief, pain or trials. It doesn't mean that the problem is gone, but it's just easier to face it and see God's blessings in the light of day.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

 Psalm 28:7

Thank you, God, for your promises.  Even in trials, I will praise you.  Thank you for bringing me JOY in the morning.  In you will I put my trust!