Articles
Biblical Sadness
There is no verse in the Bible that will explain why God created us to feel sad. Sadness is an emotion that can make us and those around us feel uncomfortable because it can be hard to handle and understand. However, whether we consider ourselves to be snot-filled ugly criers or tearless robots, expressing sadness in our own individual way is God approved.
Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The book of Psalm is a great example of this verse. King David wrote many of the psalms while he was in hiding for his life. Yet, God protected David’s life and comforted his aching heart because He loved him. Even though we also will experience trials and sadness, God also loves us. He does everything He can to eternally bless us, especially with hope (2 Tim. 1). One of His provisions is an eternal and worldwide companionship among the spiritual brethren in His church. We are meant to encourage and uplift one another in Christ amongst all kinds of trials as Romans 12:15 reads, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
The world tries to teach us that happiness and pleasure are the most important emotions. This is one reason why expressing sadness can many times feel like the opposite of progress. And Christians can even carry this belief into their faith by taking verses and using them out of context as justification. 1 John 14:1 reads, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” This verse is saying that we should not let our sadness or grief distract us from God and our trust in Him, rather than saying we should never feel sad.
Jesus wept for Lazarus even though He knew He would be raised from the dead. So the next time you feel sad, express it, give it to God, and remember God’s eternal promise to you. 1 Peter 1:6-9 reads, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
