Peanut butter and jelly are not the same but they go together. Syrup and pancakes are not the same but they go together. Marshmallows and Graham Crackers and Chocolate are not the same but they go together. I think you get my point. Substances that are very different fit together in tasty and nutritional ways. (Some of you may doubt the nutritional part). Joy and Suffering are very different but they can go together as well. Our text for this coming Sunday contains insight into this emotional and spiritual paradox that believers experience. We can truly rejoice, and be heavy with the grief of trials, at the same time. It’s important to rejoice in times of trial. It’s important to name our trial and grieve it appropriately. This is one of the many advantages of the Christian faith, we can have genuine joy and sadness at the same time. Our model for this is the Lord Jesus Christ, “who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He knew where He came from and where He was going and yet, in between, He wept, struggled, and had some sleepless nights. So, my friend, if you feel a little mixed up sometimes, it’s okay. Life for the lover of Jesus is not a perpetual spiritual high. You can rejoice in the reality of salvation and grieve the heaviness of life’s journey at the same time. Just remember, this life is “a little while,” and the life to come is eternal in quality and quantity.