Psalm 30:11
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.“
Some setbacks in life are a part of living in this sinful world, while others are the consequences of our wrong choices. Yet, we can hold onto a great hope. Psalm 9:9 tells us that the Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. We have a loving Father who wants to heal, deliver, restore, and forgive His children. Let’s allow this to sink in.
The synonyms for mourning include lamentation, misery, grief, and anguish. The God of restoration, His grace, love, and mercy, is the source of a change in our hearts and minds. It causes us to dance with joy, in praise and thanksgiving! Sackcloth was an uncomfortable fabric made of goat hair, worn as an outward sign of internal turmoil, fasting, grief, or repentance. Our compassionate Father replaces our sorrow with joy as He sees us through challenging situations.
The next time life throws us a curveball or we struggle through the consequence of sin, let’s remind ourselves of the open arms of a loving Father and run to Him! He waits to lavish us with His joy and gives us the strength to persevere. As 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession”. The joy of the Lord is your strength! He will turn the mourning of His children into dancing!
