You’ve probably heard some of the following statements before.

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” —Psalm 30:5b

“It’s always darkest before the dawn.” —Florence and the Machine

Congratulations. You can now say you’ve seen everything because you have now seen a Bible verse and a lyric from a Florence and the Machine song quoted side by side. You’re welcome.

In our world today, we hear a lot about how things might be bad for now, but things will get better.

If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve heard someone tell me that things do get better, I’d probably be a millionaire. If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve wanted to slap someone for telling me some overused cheesy line whenever I was struggling with something, I would probably never have to work another day for the rest of my life. There are few things more frustrating in life than when someone feeds you some cliché about your current predicament eventually ending. However, no matter how frustrating it is to hear it at the time, it is true. I can tell you this because I know from experience.

A few months ago, I watched the new Disney/Pixar movie Inside Out. I can honestly say that I think it is probably one of the best animated films ever made. I was surprised how much the themes of a kid’s movie resonated so deeply with me. What I took away from the movie is this.

You cannot experience deep joy without first experiencing deep sadness.

This is something that is demonstrated in the movie, but for those of you that haven’t seen it, I won’t discuss the plot line of the movie any further. (If you haven’t seen it, watch it. It’s really great!) When I reflect on my life thus far, I remember so many times when I became completely hopeless. I could not understand how this overwhelming feeling of sadness that I felt was ever going to bring forth anything of worth. For about four or five years, I battled depression. While it did improve over time, there were a few periods throughout those years that I could not seem to shake the feeling of hopelessness and deep sadness that I felt.

For anyone reading this post who has dealt with depression, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For those of you who don’t relate to what I’m talking about, I pray that you never have to. While depression is something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, I did learn quite a few things throughout the years that I battled it. The biggest thing that I learned is that feelings of desolation and despair are not permanent. You can get out of the dark, but it does take some time. It often takes medication, counseling, and other means, too, but depression is not permanent. It does not have to dictate your life.

Now that I am on the other side of this, I can honestly say that I feel a deeper joy now than I have ever felt in my life. And I understand why. After that feeling of sadness finally lifts, you become so elated and you learn to treasure each second of happiness that you have in life. You become so much more appreciative of the little things in your life. You finally understand that while seasons of hardship may come they are just that. They are seasons. They are not the rest of your life.

So for anyone reading this post who is dealing with sadness, whether it is because of depression or some life circumstance, know this. Joy is coming. The pain that you feel right now cannot even begin to compare with the joy that will come after this heartache passes. Remember that this season is a season, and this season of sorrow will eventually give way to new life, joy, and happiness. May the hope of knowing what is to come sustain you through the sadness you presently face.