You might think that a book on joy is going to tell you things aren’t as bad as they seem. If it did, you would rightly set it aside, because while we all wish that were true, if you are reading this book it is probably safe to say your experience suggests otherwise.
Things are not only as bad as you have experienced, they are far worse. That is the bad news. The good news is that God has tools that are capable of enabling you to feel greater joy than you ever have in spite of what you know, and that these tools are also sufficient to overcome all the bad of which you are not yet aware.
This world is a dark place. In fact, it is almost surely darker than you yet know.
How bad is it? We all have a physical limit of pain, the point at which we would die because it is so great. We seem to be able to endure more mental pain than physical pain, but there, too, exists an absolute limit.
This world is a bad enough place that if you were to experience the depths of what can happen here without the appropriate tools, you would immediately die.
Fortunately, good exists in equal quantities to bad. The tools God provides are capable of minimizing the duration and effects of the negatives while maximizing the duration and effects of the positives. Those who obtain and use the tools that are available to maximize joy will eventually see the reasons for what they’ve gone through, the promised result, and that there was no other way.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126)
Their torment will turn to joy, their sorrows will flee away, and all that will remain is the joy they’ve obtained.