sorrow

For the past few weeks we have been looking at emotions, which are neither good nor evil, but just a part of the human existence.  We all, except for Mr. Spock from Star Trek, have emotions.  When our child hugs us, we feel happiness.  When we lose our job, we feel sadness or fear.  When we get rear ended, we feel anger.   All of this is normal.  Jesus felt emotions just like us when he lived and dwelled among us.  He felt all the same emotions you feel; and yet was without sin...which means that emotions are not sinful.  It is what you DO with your emotions that could lead to sin.  Anger can lead us to violence.  Sadness can lead us to the bottle.  Loneliness can lead us to an affair.   We must be careful with what we do with our strong emotions.

Today I want to discuss sorrow or sadness.  Sadness, like other emotions, is a normal response to painful loss, death or discouragement.  Sorrow is often felt when something we loved is gone.  Sorrow, I believe, can actually be helpful as it allows us to grieve that which is gone...and grief is important for us to eventually move forward.
Even Jesus felt sorrow.  In Mark 14:34, while in the Garden before his arrest and death, he said to his disciples "My soul is overwhelmed with sorry to the point of death."  Jesus felt sorrow so deep here, and yet he was still faithful to do what he must and allow himself to die and be separated from his father to pay for our sins.

Sorrow can feel overwhelming, but we know it is temporary.  Like all emotions it will come to an end; plus...we who know the Lord know that we have a comfort that can endure even the darkest night.

Psalm 30:5 says "weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."  And while that night may last a long time, depending on what we lost, morning does eventually come.  
So take heart, you who feel sorrow or sadness.  God (who understands what sorrow feels like) is with you and morning will always come again.
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In Christ,
Pastor Scott