let despair give way to hope

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7

This too shall pass.

That is not a verse in the Bible (as I tried to find it and it is not in there) but it came to mind yesterday and brought me great comfort, as a reminder that even though the world feels so overwhelming right now, this is not forever.

And in fact this is the perfect time to rejoice. We are being refined through the fire, and we will come out stronger.

I am one prone to fear and despair, and this time is certainly tempting me to engage heavily with both, especially as I am unable to be with the one I love right now and feel so limited in options of things to do. I am one who does not do well with an abundance of free time, as the guilt starts creeping in and telling me all the things I should be doing instead of watching TV, and takes a significant toll on my self-worth.

But I am learning to count my blessings. As each day passes by and I am getting used to this new temporary rhythm of life, I am finding joy in the small things:

Sleeping in as much as I want

Laying in the sun with a good book for hours

Ample time in the Word and in prayer

And I remember that while I am here afflicted with boredom and restlessness, there are others who are dying and experiencing pain beyond what I could imagine.

So I wonder if God is using this time to teach me about joy, about trusting Him in the midst of these confusing times, waiting and hoping for deliverance. I think about the joy of reuniting with my love after our time apart, and the similar but larger-scale joy the world will experience in due time once this has passed. What we sow in tears, we will reap in joy, if we will continue to trust Him and not give way to despair.