Happy Tears || 07.30.2022

We’ve all heard the phrase “tears of joy,” right? Some of us have taken that breath after a loved one passes away and felt a happy relief while still dealing with our grief. Happiness and sadness are two emotions are seeming opposites, yet we see them together.

Happiness is the agreeable sensations that spring from the enjoyment of good things. Sadness means either sorrowful, affected with grief, or cast down with the affliction. Even the definitions sound like complete opposites of each other. In my opinion, these emotions often work together in a different order in different circumstances. After an experience of sadness, what comes next is an experience of happiness. After an experience of sadness, we sometimes walk through a season of happiness. I mentioned that the definition of happiness talks about positive sensations that come from the enjoyment of good things. Often, we don’t look at our sadness, grief, sorrow, or depression as a good thing, but I want you to think about how you feel after walking out of your season of sadness.

Paul’s letter didn’t mean to make people sad. It was sorrowful momentarily, but he realized the happiness from this sadness, which we’ll learn about later. I know these emotions and how we experience them are subjective because we all experience happiness and sadness in different ways. I’m also not minimizing different individuals’ grief, depression, or sadness levels because depression is a somber topic. However, I just want to remind you that joy will come out of it. God walks with you through sorrow, grief, depression, and sadness. God is holding your hand in his right hand and has a tissue in his left to wipe away the tears. Your tears will represent something different, something more joyful at the end of your journey. If it’s all right with everyone, I think this message requires a closing prayer.

Dear God, I ask that as we all go through our week, experiencing the highs and lows of life, we remember you walk with us through it all. I pray that we can lean on you during the highs and lows and remember that you are guiding us through it all. Lord, we love you and thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will do for us today, tomorrow, and the rest of our lives. Amen.