God’s Power in the Dark - Joy

And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness - secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

In 2008, Katherine Wolf was in the prime of her life and had just given birth to a baby boy. Six months later, her life took a dramatic turn when she suffered a catastrophic brain-stem stroke. The type of stroke suffered by Katherine is normally fatal. But against all odds, she survived. She was in a coma for a month and went through thirteen surgeries that left physical and emotional scars. Seven years after her stroke, Katherine beat the odds again when she gave birth to her second child. Katherine has become an advocate for hope and joy in the midst of suffering. Despite being wheelchair-bound, Katherine’s message has reached hundreds of thousands of people, giving them hope and joy in the darkest moments of their lives. This is what she wrote in her book, Hope Heals,

“Suffering is not the end of my story. Pain and joy can coexist. My hope is not in any good gift but in the Giver of every good gift.

Deep Joy

I am amazed and inspired as I read her story. It inspires me to find those treasures hidden in the darkness. Those secret riches that are available to me when I go through trials and hardship. Finding God’s treasures in the darkness is not easy for any of us. But what if the darkness is God’s way of gifting us the treasure of deep joy? What if we can only experience that deep joy in the deep, dark pit of despair?

When the people of Israel found themselves in a place of darkness and despair, Nehemiah encouraged them with these words,

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

The joy of the Lord is not a joy that suppresses or denies the grief or the hardships we are going through. It is a joy that comes when we pour out our hearts to Him and yield to what He is doing in our lives. A joy that comes from knowing that God is with us in the darkness. And His power at work in our lives. The power of His joy. Not a joy that puts a fake smile on our faces, but a joy that resounds from the deep crevices of our souls. A joy that coexists with our pain. Let us trust the One who has called us by name to break through our despair with His joy. Let us joy in the Giver of good gifts who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). The Giver of the treasure of deep joy.

All shall work together for good; everything is needful that He sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds. John Newton

Reflection:

Will you trust the Lord to give you His joy in the midst of your hardships? 

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord, that You have called me by name. Help me to receive Your treasure of joy in the despair and darkness I am going through. Help me to receive the power of Your joy. Take my despair, Lord, and work it together for Your good. In Jesus’ name, amen.