Anguish Splinters Joy

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 18:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 47 ~~~ John 16:20-23 ~~~

So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.

Anguish is a very strong descriptive word.
Just to pronounce the word anguish
makes me want to recoil from reality.
Anguish...excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain.
After the death and crucifixion of Jesus
 those who loved him were in acute pain.
After the resurrection he makes appearances
 to many of those who loved him most.
Now he is going to leave again
 with the promise to send down the Spirit,
once again the anguish fills their hearts and minds.

Anguish is so strong that one can hardly believe
 that it will ever be better,
yet we are promised relief in the form of joy.

Anguish is a heavy burden to carry around.
Joy gives one a feeling of lightness,
not just in spirit, but a
lightness of the heart and soul.

When one is buried under the weight of anguish it is hard to accept
that a joy will be given that cannot be taken away.
Anguish obscures the heart and mind so utterly that the three letters of joy
are mixed up, splintered into a thousand pieces.

Jesus says that when we have his joy it can never be taken away...
it can never again be covered with the cloud of anguish.

It is ever possible to experience this kind of joy
 while still here in this world?
Is it a joy that can only be realized after we die?

Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Is this part of the joy of which Jesus promises when he returns?
If we have this magnificent joy
 what else could we possibly need to ask for?

This joy will be enough
that we may not feel the need to ask for anything more.

Always Blessed
 even as anguish obscures and splinters the joy.
~~~Peace~~~