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As sad as your saddest day on earth, heaven will be more joyful.
I met a Christian man recently who is writing a book about his life. His goal isn’t to get famous. He just wants to write down what his life has been like. Here’s the title: Crying Seasons. Yes, you read that right: Crying Seasons.
The man explained why he chose that name for his book. Life is filled with crying seasons, seasons in life with lots of tears. This man’s father was a pastor in Africa. Sadly, he died when the man was just 12 years old. A crying season. Then his country was wracked by civil war and severe famines. Another crying season. Then he came to the United States, but his wife got cancer. Another crying season. His life has been defined by crying seasons.
He ended by saying, “Of course, it’s going to be a happy book.”
I said, “What? That doesn’t sound like a happy book!”
He was surprised. “Of course, it’s going to be a happy book! Know why? God was always with me. God is so faithful. God’s faithfulness was with me in every crying season.”
Our suffering and our hope
Can you relate?
When you hear Christians talk, it can seem like there are only two options when it comes to life in this world. Some Christians talk nonstop about how this world is an awful place that is getting more awful. Everything is going downhill. Sound familiar? At the same time, other Christians talk nonstop about how if you just believe hard enough in Jesus, everything is awesome.
Do you hear those two sides? “Everything is awful!” or “Everything is awesome!” Which is right? Both.
Listen to what the apostle Paul wrote: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Should Christians expect suffering or glory? Both. “Our present sufferings . . . ” Don’t be surprised at how awful the world is! “The glory that will be revealed . . .” Don’t lose hope in what God has planned! Both. Suffering and hope.
What’s it for you? What crying seasons could you write about? Joints screaming from arthritis? Ugh! Side effects from cancer treatment? Ugh! Broken relationships? Ugh! Depression that hits you for no reason? Ugh! Life is filled with crying seasons.
And with hope. There’s hope even in the crying seasons. Why? “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Look at all your sufferings. Pile them up together and trust that heaven’s better. As sad as your saddest day, heaven will be more joyful. In fact, it’s not even worth comparing. Our sufferings here make the glory there even greater.
Jesus’ crying season
It’s all because of Jesus’ crying season. Remember where? On the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). He let God punish him so that God won’t punish you. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), so that you could know that every sin is forgiven. Every guilt is gone. It’s Jesus’ crying season on the cross that gives us hope in our crying seasons. First the cross, then the crown.
I don’t know what 2024 will hold for you, but I bet you will face crying seasons. When the tears come, remember this: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Jesus gives us hope, even in the crying seasons.
Author: Nathan Nass
Volume 111, Number 01
Issue: January 2024
