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Numerous are the occasions that may cause us to feel the emotion of sadness. Seeing someone we love make sinful choices will break our hearts. Seeing someone we love go away (either temporarily like moving or permanently like dying) will cause a wellspring of tears to overflow. Scripture prepares us to expect times of sadness in this life:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven…a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Eccl. 3:1,4). Here are a couple of biblical suggestions for dealing with sadness:
Refuse to isolate yourself. In Acts 2, we read about the establishment and burgeoning growth of the church. Verses 42-47 depict a group of people who are dynamic, thankful, excited, and unified. It is here emphasized that they were continually together, and it made all the difference in the world! As the months of the pandemic dragged on, the dreaded awfulness of isolation was magnified. In God’s infinite wisdom (not to mention His perfect holiness), He demanded that we “not neglect to meet together” (Heb. 10:25).
Worship. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16). Time spent in prayer, song, and study with your Christian family can do wonders for the soul that is weary and downcast. It is part of the divine wisdom that God instructs us to meet and worship together!
In this life, there will be plenty of times where we experience the emotion of sadness. Thankfully, ours is a God of comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-4). May we ever trust Him and lean upon Him!
Bart Warren
South Green Street church of Christ
Glasgow, KY