Why this blend of joy and sorrow?

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Can you relate to feeling both joy and sorrow in your journey of following Christ? Why this blend?

It all comes back to Jesus and his intent …

Jesus was known for attending dinners and parties where the wine flowed¹ . He embraced the joy and revelry of life. Critics pounced.

Yet, he also walked alongside countless individuals in their suffering, offering hope, healing, and justice.

As Isaiah said, "He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

• Jesus was celebrating the dawn of a new world—the regenerated heavens and earth that are on their way. The party has already begun.

• At the same time, he grieved over the world's brokenness—the fall of humanity that has brought about so much pain and injustice.

Earth and even ourselves are groaning. See Romans 8.18-25.

As a Christ-follower, you carry this duality, this tension within you. You partake in his joy and share in his sufferings.

Does this possibly reframe things for you? Can you identify with Christ?

It can help to pan out and see the bigger schema at play. I would say major on the joy, minor on the sorrow.

These thoughts were inspired by N.T. Wright in his book, ‘Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense.’

Brian Del Turco

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1  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But wisdom is proved right by her deeds. Matthew 11.19 NIV