You Turn My Mourning Into Dancing

As I sit here thinking on this past weekend, at how exhausting and emotional, yet all the while loving and honoring of our precious Dad, I am in awe of the man, husband, father, grand and great grandfather, son and brother he is.  Coming together to say our good byes, holding fast to one another while having to let go of our precious Dad/Pop has brought out the very best in this family. 

Are we sad?  You bet.  Are we angry?  More often than not.  Do we want to hold on to him?  Of course!  Ask anyone who has had to embark on the journey of losing someone so precious and I am sure they would all agree that emotions run rampant during this period.  Regrets, doubts, fears, and questions - “what if’s”, “how come’s”, “if only’s” and the “why’s”, are a daily occurrence.

On this day, I have been drawn to one of my favorite promises in the Bible – “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.  To the end that my glory may sing praises to You and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” God will turn my mourning into dancing!  He takes away the anguish of being clothed in sadness and replaces it with gladness.  But have you noticed what God doesn’t do – He doesn’t simply stop our mourning and make it disappear.  No, He transforms it into JOY!  He is faithful to turn our sorrow into gladness.  Before my feet hit the ground this morning, His mercies were already new. I can wake up in the morning, no matter my state of mind and dance around for He has clothed me with gladness.  He is faithful, sovereign and in control. 

I rejoice in knowing that it is my precious Dad’s earnest longing to be with the Lord. I am blessed to have a Christian father, who loves the Lord with all his heart, mind and soul and looks forward to being with his God.  And today, “I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my King, nothing Lord is hindering the passion in my soul” for He has turned my mourning into dancing.