Day Fifty Three: Expressing Sorrow in the Midst of A Storm
I don't know about you, but some days it is very hard to keep up a positive attitude. I get overwhelmed by grief. It is not good to bottle things up inside. I tell myself that it is okay to weep. No one will think the less of you for genuine sorrow. It is the "playacting" that many are doing to integrate themselves in. You know them. You see them every day on your social media channels and other outlets. They pretend that what they are doing is for your own good. They shame you for balking at what the "experts" tell you is right and good. Yet they are fools.
It is times like this I like to think about when Jesus comes back to Earth to take his saints with him to heaven. I also like to think about the end of time when "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4(KJV) We do need to get right with God though before we can experience this. It is the precious promise that Jesus Christ rose from the dead to redeem us in the Father's eyes. If we express genuine sorrow over our sins, and accept that through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross we can be clean, then we can have the assurance that God will wipe away our tears. It is in I Thessalonians 4:13-18(KJV) we receive this assurance: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Yes, I do have to admit that with all the signs I've been seeing lately, I am anxious to meet the Lord in the air. I don't want to be numbered among those who are pretending or ignoring God's message. I truly believe that godly sorrow, not man-made sorrow is deep down in the recesses of a person's soul. It is not superficial or easily brushed aside. 2 Corinthians 7:10(KJV) expresses it this way: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." What does that mean? It means that genuine sorrow will not take back the saving grace that had been received. False sorrow will be "wishy-washy" and always take back the saving grace. It sounds foolish. Why would anyone take back the saving grace? They take it back when they aren't truly sorrowful for the sins they committed.
It is the hope of a better day that we keep going. Isaiah 35:10(KJV) speaks of this day. It reads: "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Oh, I can't wait to sing praises to God in the congregation of the blessed! Proverbs 10:22(KJV) fits perfectly here. I can say that "the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he added no sorrow with it."
Expressing sorrow in the midst of a storm is natural. Genuine sorrow paves the way towards salvation and freedom. That might sound a bit "off" to you. How can sorrow bring salvation? It can when the person is truly sorrowful over their sins and wants relief from them. I know that I may be harping on this, but I think it is important. Real sorrow comes with an understanding that what you did was wrong, and that you are responsible for your actions. That responsibility then triggers a response and a cry for help. Too many preachers are touting the "New Age" philosophy that you are a god and that you can handle things yourself. They tell you inadvertently that there is no sin...that you don't need to repent. They don't believe or don't want to hear that God is a God of Wrath. This is a mistake, and it is leaving many people out in the cold without any assurance. Psalms 30:5(KJV) reads: "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
It is good to know that sorrow doesn't last. One day soon we will be free to rejoice together. How I look forward to that day!
It is times like this I like to think about when Jesus comes back to Earth to take his saints with him to heaven. I also like to think about the end of time when "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4(KJV) We do need to get right with God though before we can experience this. It is the precious promise that Jesus Christ rose from the dead to redeem us in the Father's eyes. If we express genuine sorrow over our sins, and accept that through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross we can be clean, then we can have the assurance that God will wipe away our tears. It is in I Thessalonians 4:13-18(KJV) we receive this assurance: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Yes, I do have to admit that with all the signs I've been seeing lately, I am anxious to meet the Lord in the air. I don't want to be numbered among those who are pretending or ignoring God's message. I truly believe that godly sorrow, not man-made sorrow is deep down in the recesses of a person's soul. It is not superficial or easily brushed aside. 2 Corinthians 7:10(KJV) expresses it this way: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." What does that mean? It means that genuine sorrow will not take back the saving grace that had been received. False sorrow will be "wishy-washy" and always take back the saving grace. It sounds foolish. Why would anyone take back the saving grace? They take it back when they aren't truly sorrowful for the sins they committed.
It is the hope of a better day that we keep going. Isaiah 35:10(KJV) speaks of this day. It reads: "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Oh, I can't wait to sing praises to God in the congregation of the blessed! Proverbs 10:22(KJV) fits perfectly here. I can say that "the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he added no sorrow with it."
Expressing sorrow in the midst of a storm is natural. Genuine sorrow paves the way towards salvation and freedom. That might sound a bit "off" to you. How can sorrow bring salvation? It can when the person is truly sorrowful over their sins and wants relief from them. I know that I may be harping on this, but I think it is important. Real sorrow comes with an understanding that what you did was wrong, and that you are responsible for your actions. That responsibility then triggers a response and a cry for help. Too many preachers are touting the "New Age" philosophy that you are a god and that you can handle things yourself. They tell you inadvertently that there is no sin...that you don't need to repent. They don't believe or don't want to hear that God is a God of Wrath. This is a mistake, and it is leaving many people out in the cold without any assurance. Psalms 30:5(KJV) reads: "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
It is good to know that sorrow doesn't last. One day soon we will be free to rejoice together. How I look forward to that day!
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