Joy Comes in the Morning
By Michelle Lazurek
“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
It was a summer that wasn't. My husband's new job kept him working 12 hours a day. This did not allow us a vacation as we've had in the past. This, paired with less-than-stellar health news, forced me to take a medicine that had side effects that kept me ill for more than half the summer. Although my son was home for the summer, because of my illness, I was not able to spend any time with him. My daughter went away to camp as a counselor, and when she returned, she had only three weeks before it was time for her to go to college.
Additionally, car problems and other tribulations kept us constantly distracted and unproductive, rather than allowing us to rest. Since childhood, I've always seen summer as a time of rest. Summer has always been when I can slow down from my rigorous routine, reflect on God's goodness to me over the year, and plan a vision for the following year. With all these new situations and distractions coming our way, we couldn't do any of that.
And we grieved. One day, we were sitting on the couch—barely enough time to debrief about our day before it was time for bed. My husband looked at me dejectedly. “These hours are too much,” he said. He wasn't given much time to rest, either.
In my anger, I went to God during my quiet time. I lamented to God about all the things I had lost—all the time I lost spending time with my son, all the time I wished I could have spent with my daughter, all the time I wished I could have spent with my husband now that my nest was newly emptied. I felt like God had robbed me of time, time I knew I could never get back.
When July ended, and August approached, I realized summer was nearly over. We all returned to our routines, and I would have lost all that precious time. It started as a crummy summer and turned out to be very profitable. Because of my illness, I couldn’t leave my home much, but I was able to get some work done.
Because of this extra time, I completed three significant projects that had been on my heart for some time. My husband sold and bought a car better suited to his newly overpacked schedule. My son came home from school early and needed to get something done on this car. Because of this, I could spend a little time with him. I could also make the most of the few weeks I had left with my daughter before she left for college.
In my grief, I didn't realize what God was doing. I landed two new book contracts because of my faith in completing those three projects. These book contracts wouldn't have come about if I hadn't been diligent about what God was doing then. Because I went off my medication, which caused such nasty side effects, I was able to take the time to read and learn more about some of my health issues that were creating an unhealthy gut.
I took the month that I went off the medication, focused on my health, changed my diet and lifestyle routine, and increased my intake of many supplements. Within a month, I felt stronger and healthier than I had in many years. Because my husband and I didn't have much time together, we made the most of it. We went and did things that we both enjoyed. We even got a few weekend getaways before the school year started.
The newer car that my husband bought equipped him for a new job opportunity that would come his way in just a few short months. Although the latest job opportunity required more extensive travel, it would give him more opportunities to work hard, allowing him to make room for additional days off and more time to spend together.
No one likes to grieve. It's difficult to see what God is doing amid our grief. But like this verse states, grief is merely for a season. Grief is always followed by joy. When we can see what God is doing, we can join him in rejoicing in all that he has done and in all the ways he works in our lives. In our grief, we couldn't see what God was doing. But little did we know our grief would suddenly turn to joy as we could finally see what God was doing with all the loss and broken pieces in our lives.
Father, help us realize that joy comes in the morning. Help us know that, even in the depths of our grief, you are still at work in our lives. Even in our grief, you don't waste our pain. Help us remember that you work all things out for your own good. Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
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Originally published Monday, 29 June 2026.
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