Scriptural Tips on How to Drive Sadness Away

1) Talk about it

Proverbs 17:17

"A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress."

We may think of someone we can completely trust, and confide in him/her about what we feel. When we talk about our feelings, we feel an overwhelming relief, knowing that someone knows what we're going through. That will get us out of the pit of sadness.

2) Write about it

Proverbs 3:21

"Safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability,  and they will prove to be life to your soul and charm to your throat."

Putting down our thoughts and feelings on paper when sadness overwhelms us can help us "safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability."

One Biblical example in writing down feelings of deep sadness is King David. We can read his expressions at Psalm 6:6:

"I have grown weary with my sighing;

All night long I make my couch swim;

With my tears I make my own divan overflow."

We can do similarly by keeping a journal and writing down what we feel and what we think may be at the root of our sadness.

3) Pray about it

Philippians 4:6,7

"Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God;  and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus."

We must pray to God about our concerns, pouring out our heart to him and asking him to help us identify the root of our sadness. By doing so, we can have the "peace of God that excels all thought", which "will guard our heart and our mental powers."

4) Let God's Word be a light to your roadway

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my foot,

And a light to my roadway."

Filling our minds with upbuilding thoughts that we glean from Bible accounts can have a positive effect on our thoughts, feelings and actions. So it's beneficial to make it a habit to read God's Word daily.

Based on Awake magazine, September 2010, pages 20-22.

Pouring Out Our Hearts

"Trust in him at all times, O people.

Before him pour out your heart.

God is a refuge for us."

- Psalm 62:8

Sometimes life can be too much. Problems from every corner invade us like enemy missiles aimed toward us. They disrupt our peace and our joy of living. They become like a heavy load that is impossible to carry.We feel suffocated and we don't know what to do. We run to our friends for comfort or get psychiatric help, but still, our problems persist. They drive us crazy, they turn us insane. Too much!  We irrationally decide that we have lost all hopes, that it's useless to go on living. We want to end it all.

Many find themselves immersed in such situation and it's hard to get themselves out of it. But if they make a persistent effort to fight and strengthen their will to live, they will come to be survivors. One way to help themselves is to run to the most reliable Counselor in the universe, just like what the Scripture above shows us. Indeed, trusting in Him at all times and pouring out our hearts to Him can get us into a refuge where we feel secure and unharmed by whatever enemy invasions designed to destroy us.

Even when we are not at all in the thick of such situation, we can always prevent ourselves from getting into it by heeding the psalmist's message. We should make God our refuge by always trusting in Him and pouring our hearts to Him. He is the only one who can perfectly keep us away from harm and can give us LIFE. 

The Need for Wisdom

To succeed in our endeavors, to decide on things that matter to us, and to solve all our problems require wisdom. Not just the wisdom of imperfect humans who claim to be expert in guidance and counseling, but the wisdom that comes from Someone who is perfect in every way. It is the wisdom of the Almighty God who created humans and thus knows exactly what they need in order to live the best possible life there is amidst this trouble-filled world. Hence, we seek this godly wisdom.

"So, if any one of YOU is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him.  But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about." - James 1:5,6

Yes, according to this Scripture, we can receive wisdom from above and that the Giver gives generously. One requirement, though, to be able to avail of such wisdom is faith. That means that when we ask something from God, we should never doubt whether He will give us or not, but that we should completely trust that He is really willing to bestow it to us, only that we must learn to wait. Being a God of love (1 John 4:8), He definitely desires to give us what He knows can benefit us.

Just imagine a world where all people possess this godly wisdom. It would altogether be the opposite of this present world that we are living in. It would be a world where everyone enjoys life to the full and at peace with one another. 

So then, let's try to make a difference by personally asking for "wisdom from above" that will guide us in our daily life.

Guidelines to Help an Ailing Friend

Sometimes we find ourselves at a loss for words when talking to a friend who is seriously ill. We may fear that we utter the wrong words that might hurt him/her. So we just tend to watch the patient lying on the bed in an uncomfortable silence. How can we meet this challenge?

Here are a few Scriptural principles that can inspire us.

BE A GOOD LISTENER

"Every man must be swift about hearing, slow about speaking." -James 1:19

"There is...a time to keep quiet and a time to speak." -Ecclesiastes 3:1,7

BE EMPATHETIC AND CONSIDERATE

"Rejoice with people who rejoice; weep with people who weep." -Romans 12:15

"All things...that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them." -Matthew 7:12

BE UPBUILDING

"The tongue of the wise ones is a healing." -Proverbs 12:18

"Let your utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt." - Colossians 4:6

BE HELPFUL

"Let us love, neither in word nor with the tongue, but in deed and truth." -1 John 3:18

REMAIN CONNECTED

"A true companion is loving all the time. and a brother that is born for  when there is distress." -Proverbs 17:17

Meditatively considering the above Scriptures can help us think of ways to make practical applications that can surely benefit both our sick friends and us.

(Based on Watchtower magazine, July 1, 2010, pp.10-13)

A Return to Youthful Vigor

"Let his flesh become fresher than in youth;

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor."

- Job 33:25

This is an expression of hope that a loving Creator has extended to mankind. It points out to his will that humans  never get sick and grow old. He stated this purpose through a prophetic drama that revolved around the life of an ancient God-fearing man named Job. In this real life story, God's foremost enemy, Satan the Devil, inflicted Job with a malignant disease which sent Job to agony. In the end, Job kept his integrity and didn't let this adversity turn him away from God, which is a blow to Satan. Because of his faithfulness, God rewarded him by giving him back all his material losses in double quantity, and cured his illness to the extent that he looked much younger and stronger.

Since this is a prophetic drama, it definitely has a future fulfillment. Throughout his written word, God has made known his purposes for mankind in several ways. One of these purposes is that He will make righteous people go back to their youthful vigor.  This is especially comforting for those who suffer physical illnesses and the old ones who are afflicted by the ravages of old age. 

Actually, all of us can benefit from this promise because we are all affected by health problems and old age, and most of us wish  that we remain physically young. Our Creator too has never wanted us to get sick, grow old and die. That's why He provided for us a way out of such afflictions. We can learn about this by carefully examining His Written Word, which is like a personal letter of a loving father to his children. Only by studying His Word that we are able to comprehend why life is like this now, which is opposed to God's purpose , and what lies ahead in the future.

Right now, world conditions point to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies relating to these days, which the Bible calls "the last" days. These events herald the coming of the new world that our Creator has promised. Soon, everything will change for the better, and mankind will live a wonderful life for all eternity.

For a clearer understanding, the following Bible verses can be helpful.

Revelation 21:3-5                                    
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Isaiah 33:24
Isaiah 35:5,6
John 5:28,29
Psalm 72:16
Psalm 37:10,11,29