Sadness – see the diagram. Several feelings go along with sadness. It’s like there’s a spectrum of sadness. It’s peaceful to understand that God knows about sadness, and He knows our sadness. He put emotions within us. Finally, sadness is a signal – we need comfort from others or ourselves. We need some time to work through our sadness. Our Father has given us several scriptural statements to help us remember He is with us.
What does God say about sadness?
1. Come to Jesus: Matthew 11:28, NLT, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Laying our sadness at God’s throne gives us spiritual support.
2. He is our refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1, NLT, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” A sanctuary is a safe place. When we are sad, we can go to Him to feel safe while He recharges our strength.
3. God can make us well again, Psalm 147:3, NLT., “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”
4. Peace. John 14:27, NLT, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Only in Jesus can we find true inner peace.
5. Of course, our Father is always with us; Isaiah 41:10, NLT, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
6. The Lord is always close to us, Psalm 34:18, NLT, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Don’t we need to know He loves us, cares for us, and helps us through our trials?
7. We can certainly cast our burdens upon our Lord, Psalm 55:22, NLT, “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” The righteous understand God’s ever-abiding faithfulness.
8. As Christians, God wants us to cast, to throw, all our worries, hurts, and anxieties upon Him, 1 Peter 5:7, NASB, “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Amazing!
9. Our Father will guard our minds, hearts, and give us comfort; Philippians 4:6-7, NLT, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
10. God loves us more than we can know, John 3:16, NLT, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”