In Ecclesiastes 3:4 Solomon says there is: “…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
In other words, there are seasons of sorrow and celebration; anxiety and relief.
Here’s a personal example of anxiety and relief: I was coming home early in the morning, about 1:30 a.m. (we were living in Willits, CA at the time). I was on a country road, within about 4 miles of the house, and to my shock, a cop came out of nowhere and turned on his lights!
That always causes me anxiety! I pulled over and the officer approached my vehicle. To my glee, it was Joe Martinez (not his real name), a member of our church! Boy, did I feel relief when I saw it was Joe! We just stood there, under a magnificent canopy of stars, and talked for nearly an hour — Willits tax-dollars at work!
You see, it was just like Solomon said: a time of anxiety — then relief!
Whatever grief or anxiety you find yourself in as you read these words, take this to heart: You will not be forsaken! Sometimes we lose things that cannot be restored this side of glory. I have a feeling that fits many of you. One thing you can count on, however, is that God’s grace will sustain you; it will be all you need to pass through the valley of shadows.
Paul reminds us of this in II Corinthians 12:9. During a time of extreme duress in his life, the Lord Himself told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
“Grace” refers to God’s favorable regard, lovingkindness, and mercy. “Sufficient for you” means His grace is enough for any trial, trouble, or danger. “My power is made perfect in weakness” is a promise that His strength is fulfilled, completed when our utter dependence is on Him.
