We asked four members from around the world to share what gives them joy in the midst of life’s challenges and darkness. Here are their answers.—The editors.
“I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
Why do we praise the Lord? The year 2020 has changed my perception of God’s goodness. The destructive pandemic has revealed not only the “God who permits calamities,” but also, and perhaps even more so, the “God who preserves life in the midst of calamities.”
Though the pandemic seems to expose the uncertainty of this present life, it also validates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We trust that even our unanswered prayers for those experiencing disease and even death are not beyond God’s control. God wants to prepare us for an even mightier display of His power, on the day of His return, when He will raise His faithful children.
The current pandemic has caused immense sorrow. Death is a present reality, but it is superseded by the blessed hope of His coming. We are experiencing pain, but we will not doubt God’s providence in our lives.
I am recognizing that deliverance will never be realized until it is accompanied by tragedy. I have also noticed that the shadow of the darkest night will never be understood without the appearance of the dazzling light of the morning. The depth of our sadness offers us a glimpse of the joy we are to enjoy. We can hide in the safety of His wings (Ps. 91:4). His providence will cover us until joy finally comes in the morning.
Sakhile Nxumalo is a theology student at Helderberg College, and comes originally from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Turn on the Light
I think we were all relieved to leave the dark year of 2020 behind, but for many of us 2021 seemed to begin with even more darkness. It’s like the question in Isaiah where someone keeps asking, “Watchman, what of the night?” to which the watchman replies, “The morning comes, and also the night” (Isa. 21:11, 12). This leaves us with a difficult question: “How can I find joy in the midst of darkness that I still have to go through?”
I’m reminded of an experience I had while serving as an Adventist Volunteer Service missionary in Indonesia. A flash flood devastated our campus, and in the following week torrential rains continued to threaten more destruction. Nights were the worst. With no electricity, the campus became a frightening place each time darkness descended and the rains started to pound.
I still remember the moment when some staff members managed to reconnect the power as night was returning. The bright lights flicked on, and it was the happiest moment of an awful week. We still had a long road of recovery ahead, but getting the lights back on made all the difference. Light brings hope. Hope brings joy.
Collecting Bible promises is a practical way to “turn on the lights.” Every time I read something encouraging, I save it. During the day if something bothers me, I review those words. The challenges don’t disappear, but the lights come back on, and I have more courage to continue. “You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Ps. 36:8, 9).
Michael Lombart studied religion at Weimar College. He currently works as a flight instructor in northern California, United States.
Joy in God’s Creation
In these troubled times I find joy in nature. God provides the opportunity for a change of perspective through the wonders of His creation, through the careful details of nature. The sound of the wind through the trees, the distant calls of birds, the roar of the ocean waves on the shore, drown out the din of discordant discourse that surrounds us each day. They are an invitation to look away from what is undoubtably a dark time around us and gain a deeper understanding, delve into a new perspective, found by focusing on God. This change in perspective serves to remind me of the bigger picture. The view from my window is one of despair and ebbing hope, but the view in nature, under the stars or on the ocean shore, reminds me how little and insignificant I am, and yet how much God loves me; so much that He offered me salvation! In that vastness I see the immense plan of a loving God, and my soul is humbled and my hope restored.
“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (C.S. Lewis, “The Problem of Pain”).
O. Archbold is a mechanical engineer. He writes from Florida, United States.
Remember the Lord’s Command to Rejoice
A well-known survey organization asked Korean men and women in their 50s and 60s, “What is most important to you right now?” Health took first place, while money came in second. For men, wives ranked third, and for women, husbands ranked seventh.
What should be the first thing a Christian wants most in his life? It’s joy. Because joy is a gift from God.
Because of the COVID-19 crisis, people are suffering from depression and stress caused by unexpected events. How can one rejoice at these times? The apostle Paul reminds us to always rejoice despite being in difficult situations (for example, being imprisoned). Lack of money or loss of health can make us sad. But we should always remember the Lord’s command to rejoice.
We can rejoice because our citizenship is in heaven, and Paul set this example for us to follow. I believe that joy is a gift given to people who seek the Christian life. This joy is greater and more lasting than the pleasures of this world. “It is your strength to rejoice in the Lord” (see Neh. 8:10). As the Bible says, rejoicing in God should be the driving force for believers who are living in dark times.
There is a Korean proverb that says that laughing brings blessings. I hope that we all remember the blessing of a smile despite the difficult times we currently experience.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Hab. 3:17, 18, NIV).
Hae Seong Kim serves as editor of Sijo, the Korean Signs of the Times.
