Good Grief I’m Healed: Hurt in the World, Healed by the WordSample

Joy Comes in the Morning ~ Joy Comes After Mourning I count it all joy as I have been blessed to walk through these valleys and out of them, as a stronger and wiser child of God who understands that we are not left in the valley to die and rot. The Lord walks with us, carries us, and teaches us how to thrive through the trauma valleys and then He takes us to the other side, better for it. He refines and purifies our hearts, cleanses us, gives us freedom and enables us to help His other children who need someone to come alongside them and hold their hands, validate them and point them to the hope that is available. When I was at my weakest moment of grief, the Holy Spirit directed my eyes to a book in the Word, I had often overlooked. As my tears were staining the pillow while I lay wailing in the dark, He whispered for me to open the Bible because He wanted to speak to me. I was really not interested but I turned on the side lamp and to my surprise, the leather bound love letter was in the guest room where I had escaped. I put out a fleece and told the Lord to direct me as I opened the Word. There it was: The Book of Lamentations. I began to read and knew the Lord was mourning with me. He understood. I had to keep reading until I came to something positive and then my heart skipped a beat as I read these beautiful consoling hope-filled words found in Chapter 3. “I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: the unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, the Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” I had hope! I knew the Lord was going to heal our marriage. New mercies would come in the morning, every day as I put my hope in the unfailing love of the Lord! I knew this gift of His Word was personal and would prove true no matter what difficulties lay ahead. It was the joy of the Lord who was giving me strength to hope again. Joy really does come in the morning. Joy also comes after mourning ! His faithful promises are true and will be your shield and rampart. It is a promise of God—a promise received by faith. His faithful mercies are fresh every day. Joy comes in the morning and melts our mourning into new mercies and sparks new joy into our day, every day! Hallelujah! I am a living testimony of this truth! Will you dare to hope in our loving Father and in His faithful Word? He is our portion and He is our joy!