~Ecclesiastes 3:4
Do you remember Mr. Rogers? When the puppets were experiencing sadness, but weren't quite sure why, Mr. Rogers would ask them, "Are you feeling sad because of ______?"
Job definitely knew why he was sad. He was sad because of all the misfortune that had fallen upon him. He began to curse the day he was born, and he began to wish he was dead. Yet again, however, he never cursed or blamed God.
I've been sad many times before. I have one memory where I was distinctly sad: when I found out I had to move from Michigan. (I thought I knew what was best for me, and I thought I knew what God wanted to happen. Obviously I knew neither of those things, and I still don't, but that is another story.) I remember being sad because I had to leave all my friends behind. I was sad because all the friends that I hardly ever saw, I would most likely never see again. (However, I didn't know about all the amazing friends I would make in Ohio.)
The third chapter of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for everything. One of those things is mourning. We are supposed to rejoice and be glad in the Lord, despite the circumstances. But does that mean we can't be sad?
I think that God wants us to be sad and mournful when something sad happens. It's part of how God created us to be as humans. Jesus cried, too! But when we're feeling sad and alone, God is there to remind us it's okay to be sad. He is also there to tell us we can always find joy in Him.
Photo #3: A time to weep.
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