Joy in the Hard Journey: For When You Love a Prodigal or Any Hard Reality

This week we are beginning the first of four devotional studies on Joy in the Hard Journey, leading up to the June 2 Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. But this is also for anyone needing some joy!

My husband, Steve, has been a daily source of joy for me for more than 50 years.

Daily he has made me coffee, told me he loves me—sometimes several times a day, praised my cooking, told me I am beautiful, assured me that I can do anything God gives me to do, and always believed in me and encouraged me.

Such a source of joy!

Six months ago, Steve left me. It was not his choice, but God’s. Complications from a cancer treatment ended his earthly life, but he joyfully moved to his new heavenly life.

I miss him terribly, but how can I not rejoice that he is with Jesus and free from the growing troubles his body was facing.

Did I say rejoice? Indeed. As great a loss as this has been for me and my children and grandchildren, as often as tears come, I can still rejoice.

And that’s one reason why I believe God can give us joy—abundant joy—even as we navigate the hard journey of loving a prodigal, and other difficult challenges.

What gives you joy?

For most of us, joy and happiness are synonyms. So the things that make us happy often provide joy in our lives.

What often brings us joy are the wonderful relationships we have: family, a spouse, children, grandchildren, neighbors, church friends, co-workers. The people in our lives can be the happiest parts of our lives.

Other sources of happiness: a sense of purpose, meaningful work, a nice home, good health, fun and refreshing activities.

And even when your team wins the championship.

But then there are realities that seem to steal our joy away: loss of a job, financial challenges, a scary diagnosis, betrayal by friends, interpersonal conflicts.

And …the pain and challenge of a prodigal, of a loved one making destructive life choices or causing chaos for the family or rejecting relationship with you.

Our God tells us we can have joy, in all those bad events I just mentioned, even when my husband dies, or your loved one breaks your heart.

Consider it pure joy

Our theme verse is James 1:2: “ Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”

James calls us to make a choice, to consider, that is to acknowledge, recognize, regard the trials of our lives as pure joy.

Seriously? Pure joy? Not just grudging joy?

So James goes on to remind us of gifts we receive from those trials: “…because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4)

Hmmm. Probably perseverance hasn’t been on your list of desired gifts. Though, we must admit, it helps us get through hard times. I think perseverance has been one of my most important gifts. Just look at the result of growing in perseverance: to be mature and complete, lacking nothing!! We have all we need.

Ask the questions

Yet, even as God calls us to perseverance—and joy on a hard journey—He also invites us to be honest with him, to express our fears and feelings, to ask challenging questions, to lament.

What is lament? A lament is a prayer expressing sorrow, pain, or confusion. Lament could be the chief way Christians process grief in God’s presence.

Almost a third of the Psalms and the entire book of Lamentations are concerned with lament. Like every other emotion, God wants to hear about our pain. God wants us to lament. Listen to these words from Psalm 42:

Psalm 42—A Lament

As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

As you can see, God welcomes our praise, but also our pain. He receives our gratitude, and also our questions.

Sometimes God answers questions

After Steve’s death, I had a lot of questions. Answers included scriptural promises and reminders, and also “trust Me” and “Wait” and “Persevere.”

But God was also kind to give me almost audible answers to some of my questions. These two have been the most important and helpful:

“How will I live without him?” God’s response, repeatedly: “I will be with you.”

“Why did he have to leave now?” This response has been an ongoing source of joy for me: “I wanted to be kind to him.” How can I argue with that?

So, summing up this first devotional on Joy in the Hard Journey. God calls us to consider it pure joy when the journey is hard, and as we do, we will find valuable life-giving gifts.

But He also invites us to tell him how hard it is, how much it hurts, how confused we are, to ask our deep and honest questions.

And in the process, He will give us joy!

c2023 Judy Douglass

Have you found joy on your hard journey? What has helped you to experience joy?