As we drove up the winding road through the beautiful, lush, green mountains of Quito tears began to stream from my eyes. The city was absolutely breathtaking. I had always had a longing to live in the mountains and now I was getting to do it in Ecuador. The full realization of how much God has blessed me on this trip was finally hitting me. I dried up my tears until we pulled into a soccer field that we were touring. There were three sheep grazing on it. The tears started again. As some of you may know, I showed sheep in high school and they are very dear to me. I was overcome with just how well my Father knows my heart.
Peru was a tough month. We were in a very poor neighborhood and saw children daily that were covered in dirt and wearing no shoes. The climate was harsh as we were in the desert. My heart was broken almost daily for the city and its people. I was pretty worn out by the time we finally left Peru. The whole bus ride to Ecuador I was in a bad mood and couldn’t seem to get over it no matter how much I tried. However, inside of me I kept hearing God whisper “Joy comes in the morning.”
This sweet reminder is from one of my favorite worship songs, You Love Never Fails. The chorus is:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that you love me
Your love never fails
Sometimes, God gives us hard times so that we can fully appreciate the good times. I may have had a tough month in Peru but I know that it was necessary for me to experience God’s love in a new way. You may be experiencing trials in your life currently but just know that God is still there. There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:4-5
