Weeping in the night

David:

Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Ps. 30:5)

Paul:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:16-18)

These verses do not deny the reality of difficulty and trouble.  There is weeping.  Our bodies do decay — cancer is real, the flu stays too long, cars break down, and tornadoes strike suddenly and strongly.  There are afflictions and trials.  There is sin — our own, and the sins of others against us.  And when we sin, God may also discipline us.  But what these voices affirm is that none of these things is final.

The body decays, but the inner man of the believer in Christ remains strong.  Affliction is real, but in comparison to what is gained in eternal blessings and glory, it really is light.  There is weeping, but when we awaken, there is the joy of a new day and the provision of God.  What we are tempted to give up in the dark, God provides in the light.  And further,

Their mourning shall last but till morning. God will turn their winter’s night into a summer’s day, their sighing into singing, their grief into gladness, their mourning into music, their bitter into sweet, their wilderness into a paradise. The life of a Christian is filled up with interchanges of sickness and health, weakness and strength, want and wealth, disgrace and honour, crosses, and comforts, miseries and mercies, joys and sorrows, mirth and mourning; all honey would harm us, all wormwood would undo us; a composition of both is the best way in the world to keep our souls in a healthy constitution. It is best and most for the health of the soul that the south wind of mercy, and the north wind of adversity, do both blow upon it; and though every wind that blows shall blow good to the saints, yet certainly their sins die most, and their graces thrive best, when they are under the drying, nipping north wind of calamity, as well as under the warm, cherishing south wind of mercy and prosperity. [Thomas Brooks, quoted by Charles Spurgeon in Treasury of David.]