Joy In The
Midst Of Brokenness
by DSB
In a
world where disappointments, frustrations, damaged relationships,
trials,
tribulations, sickness, pain, and suffering happen too often for our
liking, it
is all too easy to lose our joy. Added to these things, at least for
Christians, is the issue of brokenness – which includes such
things as
discipline from our Lord, the testing of our faith, dying to self, and
the
crushing of our pride. And in spite of what we Christians know about
the
goodness, love and presence of God, some days it feels like there are
just too
many “woes” to bear – be they the woes of
brokenness or troubles in general. It
is during these times that we tend to lose our joy and slide into such
things
as discouragement, hopelessness, anger, resentment, despair, and
sometimes even
depression.
Though
such loss of joy with its accompanying slide into discouragement and
despair
are common, we are never to think this is normal for the Christian. The
normal
Christian life is to be a life of joy – even in the midst of
brokenness and
suffering. We may feel miserable. We may be experiencing unrelenting
pain or
prolonged sickness or a life-limiting disability. Those we love the
most may be
disappointing or hurting us the most. The detestableness of our sin and
the
thought of years wasted by sinfulness may weigh heavy on our heart and
send
tears flowing down our cheeks. Our heart may be breaking and the future
may
appear dismal in light of the current circumstances. Yet the normal
Christian life
is one of joy in the midst of any or all of these kinds of things.
This
does not mean that our joy removes or replaces our suffering and
sorrow. It
means that we have joy in the midst of suffering and sorrow –
like Paul and
Silas in the Philippian jail. Though they had been beaten with rods,
thrown
into prison, and their feet locked in stocks, their pain did not remove
their
joy any more than their joy removed their pain. In the midst of their
pain,
they had joy – as evidenced by their singing hymns of praise
to God. This is an
example of joy in the midst of pain, suffering, or brokenness.
While
considering this matter of Christian joy in the midst of suffering and
sorrow,
I was doing some research and came across the following quote by
Tertullian – an
early Christian writer and apologist who lived from 155–230
AD. He said, “Your joy is where your
hope is.”
For
me,
this statement sums up the truth about joy in the midst of suffering
and
sorrow, as-well-as in the midst of brokenness. In fact, when
contemplated in
light of a scripture like James 1:2-4, it becomes very clear that what
we hope
in is indeed where our joy is.
Now
when I speak of having joy in the midst of brokenness or suffering
based on
where my hope is, I am not speaking of exaggerated feelings of
happiness (euphoria) or a mentally
induced kind of
happiness that spreads a smile across my face regardless of the
circumstances (living in denial or practicing
the power of
positive thinking in the midst of disappointing or dire circumstances).
For
me, joy in the midst of brokenness and other forms of suffering is made
up of a
deep feeling of contentment with God, confidence that I am safe in His
hands in
spite of what the circumstances may imply, trustful dependence on Him
to bring
good out of whatever is happening at the moment, seeing the wisdom of
submitting to His will and ways, and gratitude driven praise. For me,
this is
joy based on where my hope is. For me, this is what makes rejoicing
always,
giving thanks in all things, and even singing hymns of praise at
midnight in
spite of the pain not only reasonable, but desirable. To me, this is
the normal
Christian mindset – a mindset that leads to joy in the midst
of brokenness and
other forms of suffering.
Therefore,
I encourage you to memorize this simple statement “Your joy is where your hope is”
because it is the foundational
truth upon which this examination of joy in the midst of brokenness is
built.
In
addition to the quote from Tertullian, I want to bring to your
attention a
statement found in Webster's dictionary under his definition of joy.
There we
read: joy is the emotion evoked by the
prospect of possessing what one desires. If we desire the
same spiritually
edifying things God desires for us when going through times of
brokenness,
suffering, and sorrow, then we will experience joy over the fact that
our
desires are being fulfilled.
Therefore,
when we combine “Our joy is where
our
hope is” with “joy
is the emotion
evoked by the prospect of possessing what we desire”
we begin to get a very
clear picture of why the normal Christian way is joy in the midst of
brokenness, suffering, and sorrow. Indeed, when our hope is in God, and
when we
desire what He desires for us, we have joy regardless of the
circumstances.
However,
saying something is much easier than doing it. Talking about joy in the
midst
of brokenness or suffering is easy compared to driving away the anxiety
and
fears preventing us from having joy – while at the same time
nurturing the
faith and developing the mindset required to have joy during those
kinds of
times while.
Therefore,
though Tertullian’s statement and Webster’s
definition clearly point the way to
joy in the midst of suffering, Christians often find them difficult to
apply
when faced with unwanted circumstances or emotionally depressing
feelings. So
what are we to do in order to experience joy in the midst of brokenness
or
other kinds of suffering? We need to bring Romans 12:2 into action and
renew
our mind so we can change our thinking. What follows is intended to
help us do
just that.
To
help
us see our need of a changed mind, let us first consider those who do
not hope
in God. Those who do not hope in God not only lose joy when faced with
difficult, trying times, they place their hope in whatever they think
will get
them out of their situation. To them, life is either happy or sad,
pleasant or
unpleasant, good or bad. The sad, the unpleasant, and the bad are to be
avoided
whenever possible. The happy, pleasant, and good are to be pursued as
much as
possible. When sad, unpleasant, or bad times cannot be avoided, they
are to be
treated as one treats cancer – something to be gotten rid of
at all costs, or
at least dealt with in a way that masks or dulls the pain so that life
becomes
bearable again.
Such
an
approach fits into the category of “black or white”
thinking, or what
counselors sometimes call “all or nothing”
thinking. This approach sees pain
and suffering on the one hand or happiness and ease of life on the
other hand
as the sum of who or what we are at any given moment. It is living as
if joy is
obtainable only in the good times and as if unhappiness is
all-consuming in the
bad times. And though many think this way, this is not the way
Christians are
to think.
We
Christians are to think in a way that enables us to see that Christian
joy
exists in the midst of our worst circumstances. Remember Paul and
Silas? They
were suffering – suffering the pain of having been beaten
with rods,
imprisoned, and their feet locked in stocks. Yet they were singing
hymns of
praise to God. They had joy in the midst of suffering. Their joy did
not
replace their suffering any more than their suffering prohibited their
joy. For
them, joy and suffering became an integrated, unified whole. How? Their
joy and
suffering were held together by their hope in God. They desired for
themselves
what He desired for them – which was not immediate release
from the pain but
the advancement of the Gospel and their own growth in faith and
conformity to
the image of Christ.
Consider
this carefully – it is our faith in God, our confidence in
the goodness of God,
our willing submission to the will of God, our desiring what God
desires – and
in the end, God Himself, who is our
hope
for all things good. And when
this is our hope, it unites brokenness with
joy and suffering with praise. And when the two are tied together by
our hope
in God, we are able to have joy in the midst of brokenness and grateful
praise
in the midst of suffering.
Suffering,
Trials,
Brokenness |
< HOPE in God > |
Joy |
The
uniting of joy and suffering is not an idea based on wishful thinking
or crafted
by those who believe in the power of positive thinking. This truth
comes to us
from God though His scriptures. There are many scriptures that speak of
the
integration of joy and brokenness. However, we will look at just a few.
As you
examine the following examples, (1)
consider the context, (2) notice the
connection between joy and sorrow within the context, (3)
look for the object of hope, and then (4)
determine why it is a source of joy.
1. Psalm
30:5 . . . For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is
for a lifetime;
weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.
A.
Context:
God’s anger toward us because of willful (we
know that what we are doing is sin but do it anyway),
repetitive (we continue doing the same thing
over and
over), unrepentant, uncorrected sinfulness.
B. Object
of hope: God’s character – His favor
lasts a lifetime while His anger is
momentary by comparison. We will suffer pain under the sting of His
discipline,
but this kind of discipline is short-lived.
C.
Therefore, our object
of hope (God’s character)
is our source of joy
because we know that the pain of His discipline will be replaced by the
joy
that comes from continuing to grow in living a mentally, emotionally,
spiritually
and relationship healthier life as a result of His discipline.
2. Isaiah
35:10 . . . And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come
with joyful
shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find
gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
A.
Context:
Israel had been carried away into captivity because of their prolonged
practice
of sin in spite of God’s warnings and appeals to repent.
B. Object
of hope: God’s promise that after the punishment
for their sin is over,
they will be able to return to the Promised Land and live there once
again.
C.
Therefore, our object
of hope (God’s promises)
assures us that the
losses we bring upon ourselves through foolish and sinful living
won’t be lost
forever. If we humble ourselves before the Lord, repent of our foolish
and
sinful ways, and return to living according to God and His word, the
same God
who promised to restore Israel to their land (Deuteronomy
30:1-10), is our God, and we can depend on Him to
either restore what was lost or give us something better. Such a God as
this is
the reason we can have joy when being broken, because what may be lost
will not
be lost forever.
3. Habakkuk
3:17-19 . . . Though the fig tree should not blossom and
there be no fruit
on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields
produce
no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be
no
cattle in the stalls, [18] Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice
in the
God of my salvation. [19] The Lord God is my strength, and He has made
my feet
like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places.
A.
Context:
Habakkuk was God’s prophet prophesying the coming punishment
of Israel for
their prolonged practice of sin. He knew doom was imminent and he
understood
how horrible and painful the punishment was going to be.
B. Object
of hope: God’s mercy in the midst of His discipline
which enables those who
come under His discipline to endure it with an attitude of gratitude
for His
goodness in the midst of His discipline, and for the confidence that
the time
of discipline will pass and the joy of His lovingkindness will be
restored.
C.
Therefore, our object
of hope (God’s mercy)
comforts, sustains, and
gives us joy as we experience God’s goodness in the midst of
His judgement and
discipline for our prolonged sinfulness, or as we watch those we love
go
through a time of judgement and discipline knowing that in the midst of
their
suffering God is still caring for them and doing them good.
4. John
16:20-22 . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep
and lament,
but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be
turned into
joy. [21] Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour
has come;
but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the
anguish
because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. [22]
Therefore
you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will
rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
A.
Context:
Christ is preparing his disciples for his imminent crucifixion and all
the
difficulties they will face in relation to his death and after His
ascension.
B. Object
of hope: The promise of seeing Christ again and entering into
His eternal
kingdom in spite of the difficult and painful circumstances between now
and His
return.
C.
Though
life may include times that are as hard and as painful as childbirth,
we know
those times are not forever because our object of hope (Christ’s
return and entrance into His eternal kingdom) is
guaranteed by God. Therefore, we
can
have a measure of joy in the midst of our sorrow as we look forward to
a
fullness of joy that is unending.
5. Romans
5:3-5 . . . And not only this, but we also exult in our
tribulations,
knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; [4] and
perseverance,
proven character; and proven character, hope; [5] and hope does not
disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through
the Holy
Spirit who was given to us. James 1:2-4
. . . Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various
trials, [3]
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] And let
endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and
complete,
lacking in nothing.
A.
Context:
Why Christians facing trials, tribulations, pain, sickness, suffering
and other
such circumstances ought to rejoice (as
opposed to complaining and focusing their attention on obtaining relief).
B. Two
objects of hope: First,
the fact
that God’s methods of growing us up to spiritual maturity
produce their
intended results – even though they include difficult trials
and painful
tribulation. Second, the changes
produced within us by God’s methods for growing us up are of
such an unsurpassable
quality and nature that – instead of regret – we
have gratitude to God for
taking us through the process.
C.
Therefore, our object
of hope (God’s methods work; the
produced results are
unsurpassed in quality and nature) fills us with joy over the
expected
outcome even as we are broken by the trials and tribulation that get us
there.
6. Hebrews
12:2 . . . Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of faith, who
for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
has sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God.
A.
Context:
Using Jesus as our example of valuing the outcome (for
us, inward changes, spiritual profit, made fit to serve God)
that is produced by our trials and suffering so that we endure them
with a measure
of joy, rather than running from them or seeking relief from them.
B. Object
of hope: God’s promise that if we follow
Jesus’ example of persevering in
cooperating with God’s purposes and/or work, great good will
come to us.
C.
Therefore, our object
of hope (knowing God will bring good out of
whatever
we face) is the reason we can have joy in the midst of
whatever we may
face.
Once
we choose to put our hope
in God and support that choice by believing that our joy is where our
hope is
(or by growing in believing so that over time we become convinced), we
will see
that our circumstances fit within a larger whole. They are never the
whole
itself, and because this is true, they are no longer all-consuming like
they
were in our weak faith or unbelief days.
Think
about it this way. Because
we are children of God, we are always in the care of God, who is larger
and
more powerful than any individual circumstance or group of
circumstances, or
person or group of people we encounter. We see the truth of this when
God went
with David to slay Goliath. David was not bigger or stronger than
Goliath, but
God was – and David relied on God’s presence and
support to act courageously
and win the victory.
Since God
is always larger than
our circumstances or the people we must deal with, we are always within
the
boundaries of His loving care – even during life’s
darkest hours. Therefore, we
can confidently conclude that we are always safe because we are always
in His
hands. As the scripture says, nothing can separate us from the love of
God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).
God and
all the good He does for us,
in us and though
us
|
|
Circumstances of life
such as brokenness,
trials,
sickness,
sorrow,
testing, discipline |
|
always surrounds us no matter
what the
circumstances seem to imply. |
Therefore,
because God is larger than our circumstances and because we have made
Him our
hope, we can confidently look to God to see us through such things as
brokenness and pain and disappointment and suffering. However, Psalm 37
reminds
us that trustful patience is required, because God rarely works as fast
as our
flesh would like. Yet if we patiently wait for Him to bring us to a
better end
than our circumstances imply is possible, we need never lose hope and
hence our
joy during the waiting.
Because
God is larger than our circumstances, we can also depend on Him to
bring us
through foolish failures and willful sinning – if we make
things right with Him
and humbly accept that there will be some reaping of what we have sown.
In
other words, if we come to Him with a broken and contrite heart,
repent,
confess our sin, ask forgiveness, and proceed to draw near to Him, He
will not
only forgive us, He will restore our joy!
Here
is
the important point of what has just been stated. Because our
circumstances
exist within the larger framework of God, there is no legitimate reason
for us
to treat them and therefore experience them as if they are all
consuming.
Because our circumstances exist within the larger framework of God,
there is no
legitimate reason for us to feel despair or feel hopeless or entertain
the
sense we have been abandoned by God or believe that our well-being is
controlled by our circumstances. God is always larger than our
circumstances
which is why – when we make Him our hope – He
becomes the source of our joy.
There
is another reason for us to have joy in the midst of brokenness,
suffering, and
sorrow. These kinds of times are God’s tools lovingly used to
progressively
change us into what He saved to be so He can accomplish through us more
than
could be accomplished otherwise. And here again, it is the scriptures
that
teach us this great truth.
According
to the Word of God, brokenness, sorrow, and suffering are an important
part of
discipline (Hebrews 12:5-13). They are an equally important part of
growing in
faith and godliness (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4). Sorrow and suffering
are
inseparable from spreading the gospel and from living the Christ-like
life in
the public’s view (John 15:20; Acts 14:22; II Timothy 3:12).
We see the truth
of this in Christ’s life (Isaiah 53:3; Hebrews 2:9-10,18).
And brokenness and
sorrow are inseparable from facing our sin and getting right with God
(Psalm
51:16-17).
Therefore,
we can safely conclude that brokenness – with its godly
sorrow over sin – is
precious to God. In fact, God is well-pleased when we respond with
broken
hearts and penitential grief to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit,
the sin
revealing truth of His Word, the call of our conscience, and the rebuke
of
anyone who points out our sin. God intends these things to both awaken
us and
cut us deeply so that our hearts are broken and contrite, tears flow,
godly
repentance ensues, confession and seeking forgiveness follows, dying
some more
to self continues, and the longing to be pleasing to God propels us
forward in
our ongoing pursuit of godliness. This is the path to joy in the midst
of
brokenness. And this is why joy and brokenness are inseparably linked.
In
contrast
to godly sorrow, hopelessness and despair are a response that gives
victory to
the devil. Why? Because hopelessness and despair are the result of
unbelief in
the goodness of God and self-centeredness. Such unbelief and
self-centeredness
turns us away from God and toward self-pity or self-denigration, and
sometimes
even depression. Is this not proof that such responses are the result
of the
devil’s efforts to lure us away from God? Therefore, it is
important to keep
the right perspective as we pass through brokenness, or times of trial
and
tribulation.
Truly,
to gain and maintain joy in any and every situation, our primary focus
must be
God, His provision, His protection, His goodness, and His glory.
When
we
have the right perspective, we see times of brokenness as something for
God’s
benefit first, and then our own. We see deep feelings of sadness,
shame, and
pain over our sin as responses that lead us to improved submission to
God’s
will, obedience to God’s Word, and living for God’s
glory. We see our desires
for further conformity to the image of Christ as inner motivation to
live in
such a way as to bring glory of God. And we see our inner longing for
improved
fellowship and intimacy with God as the pursuit of that which brings
Him
pleasure first, and then us.
Taking
these thoughts about right perspective a step farther, we can
reasonably
conclude that we ought to gratefully accept and humbly endure the
sorrow,
tears, and sadness which accompany brokenness. In other words, we must
be
careful not to despise trials and testings, tribulation and difficult
people.
Why? These are the things God uses to reveal the yet unremoved remnants
of our
old nature, to increase our godly perseverance in the face of trials
and tribulation,
to strengthen our faith, to build patience, compassion, and love for
others,
and to further conform us to the image of Jesus Christ.
Therefore,
the wise Christian joyfully embraces brokenness, trials, tribulations,
testings, pain, and suffering as instruments of God for our good and
His glory.
The
following statements are
intended to help us think about the reasonableness of making God our
hope and
to value the outcome or results of such a choice.
If
indeed we are safe in God’s
hands; If God is our provider and protector above and beyond all the
self-provision and self-protection we can muster or the world can
offer; If God
is continually working to bring good out of every circumstance for the
well-being of His people; If God, Himself, is sufficient for us so that
in
spite of what we don’t have, do have, or are facing we can
honestly say we are
content in God and with God – knowing that He is with us and
taking us through
whatever it is we are facing; If God is intent on conforming us to the
image of
Christ, and if such conforming is indeed one of the best things that
could
happen to us in this life; If victory over the old nature and sin is
guaranteed
by God so that in spite of our own weaknesses and failings all we need
do is
persevere until victory is attained; If God’s discipline and
training are
actions of purest and perfect love; If loss of life here is the door to
being
there with God forevermore; then surely we are fools to have our hope
in
anything or anyone other than God, and in His son, Jesus Christ. And if
our
hope is in Them, then no matter what befalls us, joy will be a natural
and
rational part of whatever it is we are going through.
If
indeed it can be said that
joy is where our hope is – and if God is our hope, then joy
will always be in
us, or at the very least, close at hand. This is why we can sing hymns
of
praise to God in spite of the pain and suffering we are enduring, just
as Paul
and Silas did in that Philippian jail so many years ago. And this is
why I can
confidently say that for you and for me, rejoicing and praise are a
normal and
natural part of brokenness and suffering.
In
conclusion, I want to remind
us that joy and faith (confidence in God and His goodness) are
inseparable. And
just as joy and faith are inseparable, so joy and worship are
inseparable.
Indeed, worship is a natural response to our hope in God.
We
read these words in I Thessalonians 5:16-18
. . . Rejoice
always; [17] pray without ceasing; [18] in everything give thanks; for
this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Notice the connection between
rejoicing and
thanksgiving and unceasing prayer! May this connection impact the kind
of
praying you do in the midst of suffering and sorrow.
Finally,
joy in the midst of
brokenness, suffering, and sorrow is not to be a private joy only. God
makes it
clear that joy of this nature is to impact the entire church. We read
about
this in Ephesians 5:15-20 . . .
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, [16]
making
the most of your time, because the days are evil. [17] So then do not
be
foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] And do not
get drunk
with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, [19]
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and
making melody with your heart to the Lord; [20] always giving thanks
for all
things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
May it be
true of us that as a
church, we have joy, that we promote joy, and that we protect joy. May
our joy
in the Lord be genuine. May it have its rightful effect on our heart,
mind, and
life – regardless of the circumstances.
Revised 2022