Weeping may stay for the night but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5
Descent from the cross (detail), Rogier van der Weyden
There is a time for crying and laughing, weeping and dancing. Ecclesiastes 3:4
Dual processes
I was recently introduced to the term ‘Dual process’, where different things are going on with us, but somehow at the same time. A person described mourning in a culture different to ours - people gather together to weep, loudly and obviously, but also tell stories and there can be laughter too.
I was reminded of the verse from Psalm 30, ‘weeping lasts a night time but joy comes in the morning’.
Feeling our sadness
There is a deep truth described here. We must feel our sadness for the joy to return. Deep in the wisdom of the bible we find the truths modern psychologists arrive at. It is echoed throughout the Psalms and here in Ecclesiastes. Experience the reality you are in now. Feel and express the emotion you are in. It is ok and it is appropriate, though sometimes frightening. But here is a wonderful promise, joy comes in the morning.
Kirsty Hook