And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. — John 20:20
There is no mistake in life being filled with moments of emotion. Many times, those moments are moments of joy and happiness. We can all reflect on moments that bring smiles to our faces. Maybe it was when you were married, met your significant other, or took a job in your chosen career field. It could even be when you saw your kids do something you were proud of.
But there are times when those moments of life are not moments of joy and happiness. Instead, they are moments of sadness. There are moments when the joy is gone from life. Moments when you do not know how you will continue on, how you can face tomorrow, or how you will survive the circumstances you face.
That was certainly the situation in this verse. The disciples were in hiding. Jesus had died, and the joy was gone. Jesus appeared in the midst of them and spoke peace to them. They saw Jesus’ hands and His side, and it says that the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
When the joy is gone, we have our eyes and attention focused on our circumstances and events. We become so focused on everything else that we lose sight of the Savior. But that’s where our attention needs to be when the joy is gone. Not on the circumstances, but on the Savior!
Are you in a situation where the joy is gone from your life today? Or perhaps this is a great time to make sure you are prepared for that next moment when the joy is gone. In those moments, don’t see the circumstances around you. Instead, see the Savior who loves you, cares for you, and is on your side!
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