Sorrow

Sorrow I. Sorrow is painful. 1. Sorrow n.- 1. a. Distress of mind caused by loss, suffering, disappointment, etc.; grief, deep sadness or regret; also, that which causes grief or melancholy; affliction, trouble. 2. Sorrow v.- 1. intr. To feel sorrow or sadness; to regret or grieve; also, to exhibit signs of grief, to mourn. 3. Mourn v. - 1. To feel sorrow, grief, or regret (often with added notion of expressing one's grief); to sorrow, grieve, lament. II. Sorrow was the result of sin and was multiplied by sin (Gen 3:16-17). 1. Because of this, sorrow is a part of our life on earth (Psa 90:10). 2. There is a time for weeping and mourning, but not all the time (Ecc 3:4). A. Weep v. - 1. a. To manifest the combination of bodily symptoms (instinctive cries or moans, sobs, and shedding of tears) which is the natural, audible, and visible expression of painful (and sometimes of intensely pleasurable) emotion; also, and in mod. use chiefly, to shed tears (more or less silently). B. Life isn't always a bed of roses; there is a time to: die, pluck up, kill, break down, weep, mourn, cast away, refrain from embracing, lose, rend, keep silence, hate, and make war (Ecc 3:1-8). C. On the other hand, life is not a perpetual existence of misery either; there is a time to: be born, plant, heal, build up, laugh, dance, gather together, embrace, get, keep, sew, speak, love, and make peace (Ecc 3:1-8). III. Sorrow can be bad. 1. Sorrow can be self-inflicted by sin, and therefore harmful (Pro 23:29). 2. Sorrow can break our spirits (Pro 15:13). A. A healthy spirit will sustain us when we are sick, but who can bear a wounded spirit? (Pro 18:14) B. A broken spirit will lead to a broken body (Pro 17:22). C. Unconfessed and unforsaken sin leads to that broken spirit which leads to ill health (Psa 32:3-5). D. The sorrow of the world worketh death (2Co 7:10). 3. When we are mourning for things or people we shouldn't be, God tells us to suck it up and drive on. A. God did that to Samuel when he was mourning for Saul whom God had rejected (1Sa 16:1). B. God would have none of Joshua's petitions when there was sin in the church (Jos 7:10-13). IV. Sorrow can be good. 1. Good sorrow makes the heart better (Ecc 7:3). A. Contrary to the opinion of most, sorrow is better than laughter. B. It's better to go to the house of mourning than house of feasting (Ecc 7:2). C. It's better go to a funeral than a party. D. The wise will be in the house of mourning, while the fool will be in the house of mirth (Pleasurable feeling, enjoyment, gratification; joy, happiness.) (Ecc 7:4) E. Blessed are they who mourn (Mat 5:4). 2. Godly sorrow works lasting repentance to salvation (2Co 7:10). A. We ought to mourn and weep for our sins (Jam 4:8-10). B. We ought to mourn and weep for the sins of others (Psa 119:136; Psa 119:158). C. When we sin, we must declare our sin to God an be sorry for it (Psa 38:18). i. Sorry - 1. Pained at heart; distressed, sad; full of grief or sorrow. ii. This is what David did after he committed adultery and murder (Psa 51:1-4). iii. It's the pastor's job to make you sorry for your sin (2Co 7:8-9). D. God loves a contrite heart (Psa 51:17). i. Contrite - 1. lit. Bruised, crushed; worn or broken by rubbing. 2. fig. Crushed or broken in spirit by a sense of sin, and so brought to complete penitence. ii. The Lord is nigh to and saves such (Psa 34:17-19). E. When someone is brought to contrition and is sorry for their sin for a sufficient amount to time, the church ought to forgive them so they are not swallowed up with overmuch sorrow (2Co 2:7). V. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isa 53:3). 1. He was a man of sorrows because he carried our sorrows (Isa 53:4). 2. As he began His suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, He began to be exceeding sorrowful (Mat 26:36-38). 3. Jesus expressed strong crying and tears when he suffered (Heb 5:7). 4. Jesus bore our sins (1Pe 2:21-24) which were the cause of our sorrow and His (Gen 3:17). 5. Never forget that when you are sorrowful after a godly sort, you are walking in the footsteps of Jesus. VI. Sorrow is increased with wisdom and knowledge (Ecc 1:18). 1. To whom much is given, much shall be required (Luk 12:48). 2. This is why pastors are prone to sorrow (Jam 3:1). 3. Pastors shed their share of tears. A. Paul related to the pastors at Ephesus how that he had served the Lord with many tears and temptations (Act 20:17-19, 31). B. It brings sorrow to a pastor to have to rebuke church members and make them sorry (2Co 2:1-4). C. Paul was mindful of the young minister Timothy's tears (2Ti 1:4). VII. Causes of sorrow. 1. Death of loved ones causes sorrow. A. Sorrowing for lost loved ones is as old as humanity (Ecc 12:5). B. There is nothing wrong with grieving over the loss of people we love; even devout men do it (Act 8:2). C. Lamentation - The action of lamenting; the passionate or demonstrative expression of grief; mourning; in weakened sense, regret. D. We often blame God when loved ones die (Joh 11:21; 11:32). i. Rather than rebuking us in those times of weakness, Jesus weeps with us (Joh 11:32-36; Rom 12:15). ii. He is a great high priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and we can therefore come to Him for grace and help in time of need (Heb 4:15-16). iii. Rather than rebuke, He will give us assurance that that our loved ones who belong to Him will rise again (Joh 11:23-27). E. When our loved ones in Christ die, we should therefore not sorrow as others which have no hope (1Th 4:13-18). 2. Leaving loved ones causes sorrow (Act 20:36-38). A. Contrarily, seeing loved ones comforts us when we are cast down (2Co 7:6; 2Ti 1:4). B. This is our hope, whether here on the earth, or someday in heaven. 3. Seeing family or those close to us reject God and His truth causes sorrow (Rom 9:1-6 c/w Rom 10:1-4). A. Seeing people apostatize causes grief to the faithful (Phi 3:18-19). B. Most of us know what these things feel like. VIII. Sorrow will not last forever. 1. Even in this life, it's only temporary (Psa 30:5). 2. There is a time to mourn and weep, but not always (Ecc 3:4). 3. Someday the tables will be turned (Luk 6:25). 4. One day we will be forever free from sorrow (Rev 21:4).