Holding Joy and Grief At The Same Time

Welcome to Purpose of Heart, the podcast, where real stories meet God's promises. I'm Priscilla Allman, and every week we dive into powerful conversations about purpose and the pressure through caregiving, illness, grief, addiction, and more. If you've ever asked God, where are you in this? You're in the right place. Be sure to follow the show and let's find purpose together. Have you ever experienced a season of your life where something beautiful was happening? Um, while at the very same time your heart was carrying deep grief. Maybe you were celebrating a milestone. Maybe you were stepping into a new opportunity or walking into something you had prayed for. And yet, in the quiet moments, there was still a heaviness, a loss, a goodbye, a person you wish was still there to witness it. And you find yourself asking, is it okay to feel both? Today we're gonna talk about what it looks like to hold both joy and grief at the same time, and how God meets us in that in-between space. Welcome to Purpose of Heart, the podcast. I'm your host, Priscilla Allman, and today we're gonna be talking about um complexed and layered seasons, um, and sometimes when stuff doesn't really just make a lot of sense. There are times in life when emotions feel really clear. You know if you're happy, you know if you're grieving, but there are seasons where those lines also blur, where joy and sorrow seem to exist side by side. And if we're not careful, we can feel like there's something maybe a little bit wrong with us. Today I want to remind you that God created a space for both. There's a kind of unique tension that comes when life holds two opposing realities. You might be starting something new while mourning something that you've lost, graduating but grieving someone who isn't there, celebrating while quietly holding sadness. And sometimes people around you only see the good. They see the achievement, the blessing, the answered prayer, but they don't always see the part of your heart that's still tender. And so you may feel pressure to choose one emotion, to be fully happy, to move on quickly, to just focus on the positive. But scripture shows us something different. Ecclesiastes 3:4 says a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Life is not always one or the other, sometimes it's both. One of the most comforting truths is that Jesus understands Greek. In John 11, we see a moment where Jesus stands at the tomb of Lazarus. And even though he knows what he's about to do, even though he knows that um resurrection is coming, scripture tells us something so simple yet so powerful. Jesus wept, and that's John 11, 35. He allowed himself to feel the weight of loss. He did not rush past it, he did not ignore it, he did not dismiss it. This reminds us that grief is not a sign of weak faith, it's a reflection of love. Sometimes we can feel guilty for experiencing joy in the middle of grief. We think, how can I smile when I'm still hurting? How can I celebrate when I've lost something so meaningful? But joy and grief are not opposites that cancel each other out. They can exist together. Psalm 35 reminds us weeping may endure for night, but joy comes in the morning. This verse doesn't say weeping disappears immediately. It acknowledges its presence and still makes room for joy. Joy doesn't mean you've forgotten. Joy doesn't mean that the loss doesn't matter. Joy doesn't mean that the grief is gone. It simply means light can enter, even when parts of your heart still feel heavy. One of the reasons these types of seasons can feel so confusing is because grief does not move in a straight line. Some days feel lighter, other days the weight returns unexpectedly. A memory, a date, a moment you wish you could share, and suddenly the grief feels close again. But this is part of the process. Psalm 34, 18 says, The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. God does not expect you to rush your healing, He meets you in it. He draws near. Not when you've moved on, but right in the middle of the brokenness. So, how do we practically walk through seasons where joy and grief coexist? Here are a few gentle practices. Give yourself permission to feel both. You don't have to choose one emotion. You can celebrate and still miss someone. You can feel gratitude and still feel sadness. Both can be true. Invite God into both spaces. Sometimes we bring our prayers only to the joyful moments or only to the painful ones, but God wants both. You can say, Lord, thank you for this blessing. But and also, my heart still hurts. God's not overwhelmed by the complexity of your emotions. And if we're gonna be completely honest, he knows exactly what you're feeling better than you even do. So you might as well just tell him anyway. He can also help to clarify some things for you, too. You can honor also what you've lost. Grief often carries love. Um, so take time to remember, to reflect, to honor the person uh or the season that mattered to you. That remembrance isn't weakness, it's meaningful. Stay present in the moment that you're in. It's so easy to feel pulled between the past and the present, but there's grace for today. Even in a mixed season, there are small moments of peace, connection, and beauty. Allow yourself to receive from them. If you find yourself in a season where joy and grief are walking side by side, I want to gently remind you that there's nothing wrong with you. This is part of being human. This is a part of loving deeply, this is a part of life that holds both beauty and loss. And in the middle of it all, God is present. He's present in your joy, he's present in your grief, he's present in the quiet moments in between. Thank you for spending this time with me today on Purpose of Heart, the podcast. If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who may be walking through a similar season. And remember this: you don't have to choose between grief and joy. Sometimes the most meaningful seasons are the ones where both exist. And God meets you right there. Until next time, my friends, I'll see you soon. Thanks for listening to Purpose of Heart the Podcast at www.purpose of heartpodcast.com. Make sure you hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. There's so much more God is doing, and I don't want you to miss a thing. Thank you in advance for the reviews and prayers that help this message reach more hearts. I can't wait to walk with you again in next week's episode. See you there.