“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” Psalm 126:5 (NIV)
Imagine being thrown into a pit by your own brothers. You’re sold into slavery, dragged to a foreign land, falsely accused, and left to rot in prison. That’s Joseph’s story in the book of Genesis, and if anyone had a reason to give up, it was him. Yet, through all the heartbreak and injustice, Joseph remained faithful. He sowed his tears into trust, and God brought about a harvest of joy.
Years later, Joseph stood before those same brothers—not as the boy they betrayed, but as a powerful leader in Egypt. The tears he had sown through betrayal, loss, and pain had been transformed into joy as God used him to save countless lives during a devastating famine. What Joseph said to his brothers is one of the most powerful statements of redemption in Scripture: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).
Joseph’s story reminds us of the truth in Psalm 126:5: “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” The tears we cry in our hardest seasons are not wasted. God sees every single one, and in His time, He brings purpose and joy out of the pain.
Maybe you’re in a “pit” season right now, feeling abandoned, hurt, or stuck. Maybe it feels like the tears you’ve sown are leading nowhere. Take heart—God is still at work. The story isn’t over yet. Just as He did for Joseph, He’s working behind the scenes, weaving redemption into the moments that feel broken.
It’s not easy to trust God in the middle of the pain, but that’s when faith grows the deepest. The same God who turned Joseph’s tears into triumph is with you. Keep sowing, keep trusting, and know that the songs of joy are coming.
— Paul, LifeSongs
Reflective Question:
What “pit” season are you facing right now? How can you trust God to turn your tears into joy, just as He did for Joseph?
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