June 20, 2018

GLADNESS OF THE HEART

Sirach 30:21-24

Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
And do not distress yourself deliberately.
Gladness of the heart is the life of man,
And rejoicing by a man lengthens his life.
Love your soul and comfort your heart,
And put sorrow far away from you;
For sorrow has destroyed many,
And there is no profit in it.
Envy and anger will shorten your days,
And worry will bring premature old age.

Personal Challenge

Many things happen in our lives that will bring sorrow and distress on us. Having sorrowful events happen in our lives is part of being human. This passage is encouraging us to not let that sorrow or distress take us over and rule how we think or feel. It encourages us to process our sorrow and then to love ourselves enough to put the sorrow far away from us. We have become a society that is dependent upon drugs to deaden the pain of sorrow in our lives. This does not eliminate them, it just covers them up. It is not easy to develop this practice, but it is something that can be mastered by perseverance. Sometimes we may need others to help encourage us in this journey of life as we strive to put sorrow far away. That is why God created us to be in unity with one another because we need others. Glory be to God!