a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. It's time to consider another verse in Ecclesiastes 3.
As I look at this verse, it has two phrases but they each communicate a similar truth. Life has ups and downs. It has joys and sorrows. With these two opposite situations, a person reacts and I s demonstrative in varying ways.
Sadness may show itself in tears but there are times when a person "is all cried out." Anyone who has been through a heart wrenching situation knows this. It may be a difficult funeral. It could be finding out that your child has a disability or a disease. It might be a divorce you didn't want. No matter what the situation is, sadness comes in different forms, but it comes. There is a time for this kind of sadness. It is part of life on this earth. Life in a fallen world. It is part of the grieving process in the losses each person must face. It's important to take the time to grieve. It's part of God's plan. What plan is that. I certainly don't know all that he has planned through grief but here a a couple of things I've experienced. I have learned that this world is not paradise. That is yet to come in heaven. It helps me realize that the best is yet to come and I should not get too attached to this world. It is how God wired me. He wants me to grieve the losses in my life before I move on. It is what I need to do to maintain good mental health. It is in those difficult times I reach out to God and His Word in ways I don't in the easier times of life. I grow through these times as I depend on and trust God for the next steps.
Now let's talk about the times of joy. It's so much nicer to talk about these. Joy happens, sometimes more often and sometimes less often than sadness, but it occurs. I often forget about all the times of joy. Unfortunately, I come to expect them. That's not the attitude I should have. Life has mountain top experiences but they are not the norm but they certainly are part of each person's life. I think of the day I came to Christ. There was my wedding day. The day each of my children were born. The day that my daughters were married. Those are the capital J days. I have found that there are "lower case" j days too. It is the days that I just feel like having fun. Those are the days I start doing kicks like Rockettes in New York City. They are the days I tell a joke and laugh outloud at it even if no one else does. These are the days I prove to my family I can still.be a cheerleader and do the splits.
There is a time for all of life even opposites like joy and sorrow. We shouldn't be surprised at either of them.
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