Grief and joy… together?!

As we begin our season of Lent, it's helpful to reflect on the two main emotions it should evoke in us; grief and joy.

At first, these emotions seem opposite to each other- should we be joyful, or filled with grief?

And yet, Lent invites us to experience both at once.

Grief, because it's a time of reflection on our sinfulness.

The wrong things we know we ought not to do- these things we keep on doing.

Try as we might, sin pervades our thoughts, our desires, our actions. God treats our sin so seriously that it requires death; our sin cost Jesus his precious blood on the cross.

As we approach Easter then and remember Jesus' death on the cross, we remember why he hangs there, and grieve.

And yet, we are not left in grief. Our sin has been defeated, and death itself defeated with it.

Scripture tells us that the cross is victory for Jesus, not defeat.

He triumphs over sin, and is glorified by that victory.

We now receive eternal life instead of judgement.

For those with faith in Christ then, this is a season of rejoicing in the victory of our Saviour Jesus Christ.