Mourning: Better Than Joy: Eccl. 7: 2-4

English: The Bible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When love came knocking shortly after I got saved, I worried I would make the same mistakes I made when I had married. That relationship proved damaging to who I was as a human, so I prayed that God would shut every door He needed if He did not want me with Harry.

Every door opened. So I let down my guard and allowed myself to love deeply. Then Harry broke off with me, and my world spun out of control. He claimed the cliche: it was him, not me. He wasn't ready for marriage. A week later he began dating a friend of mine.

We all attended the same church, so I had to hold no hard feelings against anyone, but this break-up hurt more than any I had previously--even my marriage.

So new was I at my faith, I understood nothing. I held my Bible in my hands, lifted my voice to God and said, "Lord, they tell me this book holds the key to every problem. If that's true, please open my eyes to Your word."

God answered that prayer abundantly. One thing that has stuck in my brain all these years was Eccl. 7:2-4

 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Why?

• In sorrow, we lean on God. Our joy, we attribute to ourselves.
• In sorrow, we learn of our humanity--both its mortality as well as its dignity
• In sorrow, we learn compassion and humility.
• In sorrow, we know our lives end. If life is transient, we best make the most of it.

I can't say I magically made my pain to pass quickly. But the Word of God opened to me, and I found myself dancing around my apartment with joy uncontainable which mitigate my loss.

How have you found sorrow better than joy?