We all mourn things.

Life includes hard, tragic, disappointing, and sad moments.

No one is immune. You can’t wrap yourself up in a bubble and avoid it. You’re going to miss out on the best of life if you try to do so.

What’s crazy is that as I walk this life, I continue to hear joy-filled people say those “hard roads”, those things they thought they might not make it through, were the very things that led them to the best of blessings.

It’s true, none of us want to mourn loss,
disappointment, and heartbreak.

But we all will.

And Paul David Tripp says when you do, “you better guard your mourning.”

He explains our mourning is never neutral.

We either mourn against God, questioning His goodness, wisdom or love; or we mourn with God who mourns with us, never leaves us, and alone can bring beauty from ashes.

And if we want to be able to truly enjoy life’s blessings, some of us need to decide, right now, that we will always mourn WITH God in the days that won’t feel like blessings.

That way we can take the risk, overcome the fear, and move forward in knowing God is on the other side of whatever we are facing, or will ever face.

Because of Jesus, we really can face tomorrow.

And when the hard days come, because we determined beforehand to always hold onto Him, and mourn WITH Him, we will be the ones who can joyfully say, “I saw Him bring good.”

“My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Ps 73:26

He IS enough to sustain us, when all else seems to fail us.

(If you are looking for a great devotional, check out “New Morning Mercies” by Paul David Tripp)

SaturdayThoughts

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