2. A time for sorrow, grief, melancholy, sadness
A time to…
Kill
Tear down
Weep
Mourn
Scatter stones
Refrain from embracing
A time for sorrow, grief, melancholy, sadness

3. The Bible speaks to all emotion
Joy
Anger
When wronged
At injustice
Anxiety
Accomplishment/Victory
We are fashioned in the image of God
God has emotions
Emotions are a gift; not a curse

4. Ez 6:3 ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord
Ez 6:3 ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places… 8 “‘But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. 9 Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols.

5. When God saw the rebelliousness of people, he was “grieved.”
“God looked at the actions of people and was grieved”
to distress mentally; cause to feel grief or sorrow:
God’s people turned away
They do/did despicable/detestable things

6. When God saw the rebelliousness of people, he was “grieved.”
He hurts deeply in His grief
Grief in humans involves
SHOCK & DENIAL- numbed disbelief. ...
PAIN & GUILT- ... “Why did I create them?”
ANGER (& BARGAINING- ... )
"DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS- ...
THE UPWARD TURN- ...
RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH- ...
ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-
How many symptoms of grief does God feel?

7. Deep seated sadness is ok
Theme:
If God can experience deep seated sadness and grief, and we are made in the image of God, we too have the ability to feel deeply.
Some people are wired to feel the pain of life more intensely

8. God loves the depressed person and can use you
Many see depression as a flaw
What if deep seated sadness and depression are a gift?
What if it is an indication that a person:
Knows the way things ought to be?
is discouraged that people are OK with the level of pain, suffering, ill treatment in the world?
The power of poets
to articulate truth
to put words to what people are feeling but can’t express
Speak the pain: share your perspective

9. “Prescription” to try:
Take every thought captive: 2 Cor 10:5
Let your mind be transformed by God Rm 12:1-2
…with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus Phil 4:6-7

10. Letting people work through their grief
“How are you?”
We really don’t want to hear
Listening to someone in pain is hard work
Tiring
Our tendency is to:
run away
Try to cheer up
attempt to fix it

11. Mt 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

12. Jesus had reason to be sad
He knew death was coming quickly
He knew the sin of the world would rest on his shoulders
Peter responds…
“It’s going to be alright!”
“Nothing is going to happen!”

13. Mt 26:31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

14. Jesus had reason to be sad
He knew death was coming quickly
He knew the sin of the world would rest on his shoulders
Peter responds
“You can count on me! I will stick with you even while you are going through this crummy time.”
And he didn’t

15. So What?
Who do you know who is struggling with depression or melancholy?
Do they see it as a problem or a gift?
Do YOU see it as a problem or a gift?
If God could experience grief, why don’t we allow people to experience grief?
What is your tendency when encountering someone who is grieving?