“Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.” Ecclesiastes 7: 3
Sorrow is better… really? Sorrow is a tool God uses to reach down into the depths of our soul to reveal who we really are. It uncovers the shallowness in our hearts. But most importantly, sorrow uncovers our unknown capacities for suffering and service. In other words, we find out how much stronger we are than we think we are. We only discover this by Divine Grace. Without His grace, our suffering is pointless. I’ll say that again… without His grace, our suffering is pointless! Lighthearted, frivolous people are never aware how shallow they really are. There is not one doubt in my mind about this, because experience is the authority given to me by which I speak.
Please be encouraged by what I write, as my words are meant to encourage you. You may be going through the greatest sorrow/test of your life. Hold onto Jesus. He’s heard your cries. He will help you – in His time. If you surrender all that you are to Him, you will have His Divine grace to get you through ANYTHING!! Memorize one of His gazillion promises. These are some I put to memory, and the Holy Spirit brings them to the forefront of my mind when the enemy starts attacking me or when my own flesh starts to question His love for me…
“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 50: 7
“O Lord You have known me and searched me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You know my thought afar off. You comprehend my path, and my lying down, and are acquainted with all of my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139: 1-10
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1: 12
Because we live in a fallen world, sorrow with despair and panic removed (because of God’s grace), is what has been chosen to reveal us to ourselves. Is is not sorrow that makes us move more cautiously, and makes us take the time to think more deeply and seriously? Sorrow forces us to really examine our motives and attitudes.
Allow me to briefly talk about comfort. You know I absolutely love Streams in the Desert Devotional. That’s where these next words are taken from…
The world is full of hurting and comfortless hearts. But before you will be competent for this lofty ministry, you must be trained. And your training is extremely costly, for to make it complete, you too must endure the same sufferings and afflictions that are drowning countless hearts in tears and blood. Consequently, your own life becomes the hospital ward where you are taught the divine art of comfort. You will be wounded so that in the binding up of your wounds by the Great Physician, you may learn how to render first aid to the wounded everywhere. You will be able to tell others how you suffered and were comforted. And God will apply the anesthetic He once used on you to them.