30 March | Youth
«Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”» Matthew 26:38
What do you do when you are sad? Cry? Do you think about the reason for your sadness? Or do you try to camouflage and forget this feeling? Generally, we tend to do everything we can to make the sadness go away and never return. After all, no one likes to harbor negative feelings that leave us “down.”
But did you know that sadness can be beneficial? It is a red flag from the mind indicating that some-thing has been lost or that you are emotionally hurt. It is like a fever, which works as the body’s natural response to combat invaders. In the same way, sadness serves as a warning that something is not going well and that we need to seek help.
Although it is difficult to face sadness, it is a necessary attitude. You cannot sweep it under the “rug of the soul,” pretending that everything is ok. Expressing this feeling means letting out the tears, asking for someone’s company or asking a friend for emotional support. When we experience this process, recovery can occur more quickly.
Are you a person who easily expresses sadness or do you usually pretend that everything is fine? Remember that emotional strength does not mean holding back your feelings, but rather noticing them and exposing them to others in order to seek help.
Jesus himself did not hesitate to say how sad he was that night in Gethsemane. As a human being, the Savior opened the windows of the heart to His closest friends – Peter, James, and John – and revealed all their vulnerability. Under the cruelest temptations, Jesus did not remain a hostage to his own feelings but exposed His anguish to both God and men. However, instead of sympathy, he found sleep and silence on their part.
As the “Man of Sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3), Jesus endured sorrow at its extreme level. This means that He knows your emotional pain and shares with you the secret to winning. Do not be afraid to say you are sad. Verbalizing and crying are the first steps to healing. Jesus has already walked this path. He understands you. If crying brings you closer to Jesus, this sadness will have been worth it.