Sorrow and Grief

Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. – Ecclesiastes 7:3-4

Sorrow and grief are probably the two most avoided emotions in life. Times of sorrow and grief are not fun. They are exhausting, painful and dark. And so, if given the choice between going to a party or going to a funeral, most of us would probably choose the party.

However, this proverb, found in Ecclesiastes, tells us differently. It shows us that sorrow and grief are emotions that are part of the abundant life that God has given to us. Sorrow and grief are good for the soul because they bring us wisdom and they give us insights into life, ourselves and God. The proverb is not saying that we should never laugh and never seek pleasure; for these are also a part of our God given life, but if all we ever did was eat, drink and be merry we would have a life that is superficial and a faith that is shallow.

In this season of Lent, as we reflect on the sufferings of Christ we see that Jesus embraced sorrow and grief when he walked through the dark valley of Calvary. Although we dread walking through the dark valleys in life, these are usually the times when we most feel the powerful presence of God.

Prayer: Lord, help me to walk through the dark valleys in life. They are difficult to go through and I know that I must lean on you in these times. Thank you for walking with me in times of sorrow and grief. Amen.

Faith Tip: Is there some sorrow or grief in your life that you are avoiding? If you don’t embrace your sorrows you will never be able to move past them. Lean on the Lord and He will walk you through your dark valley.

Written by Pastor Aaron Anderson