This verse carries good news and bad news. Let's first look at the bad news and then finish with the good news.

Night time seems the worst time to suffer. Tossing and turning on our bed of sickness or sorrow we feel the pain most intensely. We long to sleep and are awake to suffer torments of a broken life. Our thoughts can race wildly as we consider the tragic alternatives we might face in the future.

Or, if we sleep, we awake to the cruel harsh reality of our situation, and we'd like nothing better than to roll over and escape again into the blissful unconsciousness of sleep. But our life here calls us to action and we must trudge on in hopeless despair not knowing how we shall make it through the day.

Is this your lot today? Is your life full of misery and sorrow? The Bible speaks to the suffering plainly and yet hopefully. It recognizes that this world is full of tears and sighs.

What the Bible offers—as seen in the second half of this verse—is a remarkable hope for the future.

We see that suffering ultimately has a terminus point. It shall end one day and glory shall dawn. We're uncertain when this shall happen but we may be confident it shall terminate and we shall enter endless joy as followers of Jesus. Be certain of this and you shall find strength to endure the present.

Without this hope our souls shrivel and die. We become empty shells of humanity if this life is all there is.

The haunting song sung by Peggy Lee in the ‘60’s called Is that all there is, played on the theme of trying to find satisfaction or meaning in life from various things, but all seemed futile so in the chorus she sang that we should eat drink and be merry for death will be the final disappointment.

Those who believe in Jesus can endure this world of sorrow in the glorious and amazing hope that we have eternal joy and happiness waiting for us. The journey home may be difficult, but ultimately worth it all as we enter the place prepared for God’s chosen people.

Heaven will not simply—or particularly—be a place to sit around and play harps. No, we shall have a Garden of Eden where we shall be productively occupied.

We shall learn and explore the perfect world we will live in. We'll be free from all that contaminates our present world. There shall not be any sorrow or sickness or pain of any kind. Our eternal day will dawn.

My late brother owned and flew a Stinson 108-3 four seat airplane. It was built shortly after WWII and I often flew with him in the 70’s and 80’s. Because it was an older aircraft he had to reset something on the flight panel at times during our flights.

On the first flight this bothered me as I didn't know what he was doing and therefore suspected that something was malfunctioning that could cause us serious trouble in flight. Finally, after some while in the air, I asked him what was wrong. Nothing, he told me, he just needed to adjust this instrument from time to time.

This is what every follower of Jesus Christ needs to do routinely. We need to adjust our spiritual compass regularly to maintain the correct course through life. We need to guide ourselves through the present maze called life on earth by getting clear visions of heaven and our eternal destiny. This is why regular Bible reading, prayer, attending the preaching of the Word of God and worshipping with God’s people are so important.

Have you lost your way in life and sense that you are drifting aimlessly?

You need positive direction in life and it can only come as you depend on Jesus as your guide. He is willing and able to direct your life here and give you a future brighter and more glorious than you can imagine.

Sometime, sooner or later, your night of weeping will end and joy will come. Jesus is the only way to light and life, and if you come to Him and confess your need, He will under no circumstances abandon you at the last.