Sadness stinks.
Nobody likes feeling it.
There’s a balm for that sadness, though.
It’s called hope.
When I have hope for better days ahead, the sting and stink of sadness diminishes.
My mind is rescued from the slippery slope of despair when I hold tightly to a strong vine that extends down from where I was headed.
As long as I cling to that vine, I’m safe and can regain strength and make my way toward the goal of a better life.
I’ve experienced this kind of hope, of inner peace, on multiple occasions when sadness was soaking into my soul.
Repeatedly, I’ve thanked God for the hope I’ve found in the Vine of Jesus Christ, in His Word, in the Holy Spirit and in God’s people.
It’s been SO good.
The writer of Psalm 126 knew about this hope and why it was so important to keep doing what God wanted even before God did what the writer wanted.
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” (vv. 5-6).
God’s Word promises over and over that our faithfulness to Him in the midst of stress and sorrow is noted by our Father in heaven and, when the time is right, blessings will come our way.
We just have to keep clinging to the Vine.
We just have to keep sowing in the storms and the droughts, trusting that the Lord will provide the increase in due time.
When that happens, we’ll not only have sheaves of blessing, but we’ll also have powerful testimonies to encourage others in their storms and droughts.
That’s the power of hope.
That’s the power that you can share with others.
As always, I love you
Martin
