James 1:2 tells us, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” We can have joy if we are in trouble? This sounds impossible when the days seem to crash in around you. It is impossible without God. There is no joy anywhere but Him. If you try to live without God and His promises, you will only find emptiness. He is the only one who can fulfill. He brings life, He breathes life, and revives the weary soul.
Joy can be found in Him because He sees every moment. He knows what comes before and what comes after. He is the keeper of the days, so He can be trusted. Psalm 139:16 says, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” He knows our days, so we can trust Him.
We can have joy in the midst of sorrow because we know the author of the story. He works for our good, as Romans 8:28 says. That doesn’t mean that we will only know good things. Instead it means that He will be the good in the midst of everything that is not.