When God Turns Sorrow to Song: The Joy of Holy Reversal

By the third week of Advent, something begins to shift.

Two candles already burn on the wreath — Hope and Peace — steady reminders that God has stepped into the darkness and begun to make things right.

Now, we light the Joy candle, often pink, as if the flame itself blushes with delight.

Joy breaks in.

Not because everything is easy — but because God is near.

“You have turned my mourning into dancing;

you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”

— Psalm 30:11

The Joy of Holy Reversal

When holiness touches sorrow, it doesn’t erase pain — it redeems it.

That’s what makes Advent joy so different from temporary happiness.

This joy rises right in the middle of tears. It’s the sound of something being set right.

In Mary’s song — the Magnificat — we see this kind of holy reversal:

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but sent the rich away empty.”

— Luke 1:52–53

Her joy isn’t naïve; it’s prophetic.

It sees the world as it is — and then sings of what God is doing to change it.

This is the joy that grows when holiness steps into brokenness and begins to reorder things:

• The lowly are lifted.
• The hungry are fed.
• The overlooked are seen.
• The forgotten are remembered.

Joy is the sound of heaven’s justice — love rewriting the story.

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Joy in the Middle of the Story

The third candle of Advent is sometimes called Gaudete Sunday — “Rejoice!” in Latin.

It’s the moment when the waiting starts to glow.

Hope and peace have softened the ground, and joy begins to bloom like a song rising from deep roots.

But it’s not a forced smile.

Holy joy is honest. It knows grief.

It knows waiting and loss and disappointment — but it also knows the One who promises beauty for ashes.

In God’s story, every sorrow becomes a seed for joy.

And sometimes, that joy starts with the faintest hum of gratitude,

the smallest spark of wonder,

or the first note of a song sung in faith.

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Reflect

As you light the third candle this week, ask:

• Where have I seen God bring something good out of sorrow?
• How is He inviting me to sing again, even before everything is resolved?
• What reversals might He already be working in my heart?

Remember: joy isn’t something you chase — it’s what rises up when holiness restores what’s been lost.

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Practice: Lighting Joy

Gather your family and light the third candle — the Joy candle.

Let its brightness remind you that holiness is not somber or sterile — it’s radiant, alive, and full of laughter.

Pray together:

“God of joy,

thank You for turning sorrow to song.

Open our eyes to see Your reversals

and our mouths to sing Your praise,

even before the story is finished.”

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Continue the Journey

Inside our Rooted Minds Advent Devotional: Week Three — Holy Joy, you’ll find five simple ways to practice joy together:

• Scripture readings that reveal God’s reversals
• Art and journaling prompts from Alyssa
• Family practices to cultivate delight
• Songs that help you rejoice in redemption

👉 Access Week 3: Holy Joy in Rooted Minds »