Hey Mark…are you ever SAD for no apparent reason?”
That’s a common question tossed my way by members of our global online tribe. My answer is always the same: “Of course.” But I’ve been waiting for one of those SAD moments that God might use to help others.
That opportunity came YESTERDAY when I roused my weary bones from a very rare restless night of unsettled discomfort. I woke up with a twinge of sadness where everything appeared to be out of focus. It was like passing by those mirrors at a carnival that twist your image like a hot pretzel.
For those of you who have been in that predicament, the “easy” response is to let God’s Word of TRUTH rain over our parched soul and, voilà, here comes the sun to provide a boost to our heart and sack our sadness.
But it ain’t always that easy, is it?
Filling our mind with God’s promises is absolutely the right thing to do, but it can be difficult to pull off. We all cringe at least a little when someone tells us: “C’mon, read the Bible and believe.”
It’s like having someone tell us to copy and paste an emoji on our pain. That’s ridiculous.
The nihilistic world says life is meaningless and you SHOULD be sad. But God encourages us to DEPOSE the false prophet of a FEELINGS-BASED FAITH.
Of course we are going to be SAD in this life! C’mon, man…this is not heaven.
So what do we do to sack sadness?
FIRST…It’s imperative to realize that there is no magic wand to make sadness “go away.” It’s a process of walking through the FAITH FUNK with God who promises to turn our sadness into joy.
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” John 16:20
NEXT…Know that it’s our HEART that matters. God searches hearts:
“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:27
FINALLY…We need to rally support from a Christian brother or sister. Remember, the truth is clouded when we are sad. That’s why and when we need someone to remind us what’s real. But we do NOT need a TRUTH-TALKER friend. We need a TRUTH-WALKER friend.
We need someone to walk with us, not talk at us (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
I thank God for his promise to be by my side regardless of my feelings. To help me push through bouts with sadness. To revel in his goodness.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What will you do the next time sadness pays a visit?
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
