Sorrow: August 22, 2011

AUGUST 22 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2011.

SORROW

DEFINITION:

Distress of mind; grief; sadness; regret; distress caused by loss; affliction; disappointment.

SCRIPTURE:

I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. Psalm 6:6

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The Psalmist in the verse we have put above really spells out how many people feel when they are in deep sorrow. Sorrow comes to us in many ways and as the definition above says sorrow is distress, grief, sadness or grief that one feels when they experience a great loss or bitter disappointment.

We have talked over the years with many people that have had dreams of accomplishing something big. They invested most of their time, effort and money into a project feeling assured that it would be successful. And many times something would happen and the bottom would fall out of their carefully laid plans.

When this happens deep sorrow comes to that person. They lose their personal confidence and live a defeated life. The reality of crushed expectations takes a toll on a person and leaves them with a sense of loss and hopelessness.

There is another type of sorrow. This is a sorrow felt when a friend or family member comes down with a serious sickness or has an accident. The sorrow is even greater when that person passes away. The death of a loved one leaves a void in a person’s life. Many never are able to overcome the loss of a loved one and their sorrow causes them to fall into a state of deep depression.

The psalmist David experienced hopeless despair as he struggled with his own failures, the attacks of others, and the disappointments of life (the verse we have written above). The depth of his sorrow drove him to heartache but in his grief he turned to God. David’s crushed and broken life gave way to an assurance of God’s care, prompting him to say, “The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.” (Verse 9) We can be assured that God hears our prayers and answers them.

In times of sorrow and disappointment people often look to other people for comfort and support. Unfortunately, people do not usually understand and let us down.

In our seasons of disappointment and sorrow we can learn from David and we too can find comfort in God, who cares for our broken heart. Remember, as someone once said, “God’s whisper of comfort quiets the noise of our sorrow.”

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

PRAYER:

My prayer is that in my darkest hour of sorrow I will be reminded to put my total trust in You. Thank You that You will bless me with Your comfort and loving grace in my times of sorrow.