“Sad moves to glad through the healing touch of Christ’s love.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 25, 2025
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. John 16:20
When Jesus spoke these words, He was preparing His disciples for the emotional rollercoaster ahead. Imagine sitting across from someone you love deeply while they tell you, “Things are about to get really hard—but hang in there.” The Lord Christ knew His followers would soon witness His death. While His enemies celebrated His crucifixion, the disciples would experience immense grief. But that wasn’t the end of the story. This promise extends beyond the first followers to all of us. Following Jesus often means swimming against the cultural current. There are times when the world seems to celebrate values contrary to God’s Kingdom, and standing firm can feel isolating. Maybe you’re in that grieving season right now—facing illness, fractured relationships, or spiritual battles. Jesus doesn’t minimize your pain; He fully acknowledges it. But He promises something remarkable: that very same grief will transform into joy. Not replaced by joy but transformed into it—like the intense pain of childbirth giving way to the indescribable joy of new life. The Lord uses pain to bring forth His indescribable joy in us!
C.S. Lewis, in his classic The Problem of Pain, explains how staying sad is bad, “All sadness which is not either arising from the repentance of a concrete sin and hastening towards concrete amendment or restitution, or else arising from pity and hastening to active assistance, is simply bad.” Yes, he says sadness is acceptable when moving through the process of turning from sin or seeking help out of a sad state, but staying stuck in sadness is a sin. Lewis elaborates on the sin of remaining sad, “We all sin by needlessly disobeying the apostolic injunction to ‘rejoice’ as by anything else. Humility, after the first shock, is a cheerful virtue.” Humility moves from sad to glad. Are you or someone you love stuck in sadness? If so, there is a way out with humble love.
When sadness settles in for an extended stay, it can become something God never intended for you. While grief itself isn’t sinful—Jesus wept, after all—choosing to camp in our sorrow and refusing God’s comfort can become a form of rebellion against His promises. The enemy loves when we dwell in perpetual heaviness, convincing us this is just “how things are.” But through humble surrender, we discover an impactful truth: joy isn’t dependent on our circumstances changing. Paul wrote from prison, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Not because his situation was pleasant but because his joy was anchored beyond his circumstances. Try this: When sadness feels overwhelming, name three specific blessings aloud. Then serve someone else—perhaps writing an encouraging note or making a meal. These simple acts of humble love shift our focus from inward to upward and outward. Remember, moving toward joy isn’t denying your pain—it’s declaring that your pain doesn’t have the final word—defined by your belovedness in Christ.
Most importantly, honestly and humbly, bring your sadness to your Savior—mess and all. “Jesus, this hurts. I don’t understand it, but I’m offering you my broken heart.” Something powerful occurs in that vulnerable space. I’ve discovered that when I stop trying to fix my sadness alone and instead invite Him into it, His love transforms it—not instantaneously like magic, but gradually like a warm sunrise of healing for my soul, bringing unexpected joy where there was once only sorrow and grief. Sad moves to glad with the healing touch of Christ’s love.
Prayer
Lord, transform this heaviness weighing on my heart. I surrender my sadness to You. Replace my tears with joy, my mourning with dancing, my weariness with Your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
Where is Christ inviting you to be joy-filled by His healing love?
Related Reading
Psalm 30:5; Isaiah 61:3; Nehemiah 8:10; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Worship Resource
We the Kingdom: Child of Love
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