MAY THE JOY OF SALVATION REMAINS IN US, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING
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No comparison with an Eternity of Happiness to praise the Lord at all times. We praise God for what He does, we worship Him for who He is, and we give Him many thanksgivings because He has revealed Himself to us. That is why the Bible commands to rejoice always in the Lord at all times, in all places and in the day of misfortune, we must think.
Life is so short; what is a moment of suffering compared to an eternity of happiness?
As we know, sometimes a grain of sand is enough to stop a well-oiled machine, and we, men and women, often experience it.
An annoyance, a disappointment, a pain, even a passing one, and now everything seems to be getting darker. The sadness settles, the doubt creeps in and begins to tease us: why does this happen to me? And besides, why does God allow that?
Let us understand that these trials that God sends us, far from being punishments, are precious means offered to us to strengthen our Faith and grow in Charity.
Is it always easy? No, of course. When grief, a serious or incurable illness strikes us, suffering can become so intense and omnipresent that it paralyzes our judgment and prevents us from clearly appreciating the substance of things.
Is happiness a chimera? Where to find true happiness? We are thirsty for happiness and aspire for joy. King David realized that the secret of true happiness flowed largely from his relationship with God when he proclaimed, “Yes, happiness and grace will accompany me every day of my life” (Psalm 23: 6). The Bible is a gold mine that contains promises of happiness covering every area of our lives. “You make me know the path that leads to life. When you are there, joy overflows, with you, happiness does not end “(Psalms 16: 11).
The source of joy is in God, because the soul was made for God and it is in God alone that it finds its object. The believer is invited to rejoice in the Lord at all times. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 3: 1).
The believer finds his joy in the blessings of God, his forgiveness, his promises, his presence, but especially in Jesus Christ, through the salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fellowship, the love of Jesus, the hope of eternal things. In the midst of suffering, it is possible to have joy. The Apostle Paul has become the model of this supernatural joy that triumphs over the sorrows of the world (Epistle to the Philippians). The joys of the world are fleeting, while the joy of the Holy Spirit, the joy of the Lord, remains, even in the most difficult moments, because its source is in God.
Augustin MAKENG
