Monday, May 25, 2009

rejoicing & mourning


life is simple...


albeit extremely complex - yet simple.


I'm not saying it's easy, but it is simple (there is a difference)...more simple than I had once thought.


- we rejoice/ we mourn


Admittedly, sometimes our natural inclination is to:

- be secretly jealous when something good happens to someone else: "how come nothing good ever happens to me?"

- be secretly happy when something bad happens to someone else: "well, I'm glad that didn't happen to me."


How selfish, no? How love-lacking it is to respond in those ways...


We walk through this life, seemingly stumbling at times, groping our way in the dark. Things happen - good things, wonderfully joyous things; and bad things, horribly mournful things. These things have happened to you. These things will continue to happen to you.


Just to let you in on a little something: these things have happened and will continue to happen to the people you co-habitate this earth with. You know this...


When these things happen to those around you (and they will), what will you choose? Secret jealousy and/or happiness.


Or will you choose the higher/ harder road?


Rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn.


Life may be more simple than you thought. Rejoice and mourn and forget about yourself for a moment.


...and as you do, you may even find yourself loving. I pray you do.

1 comment:

CFLjoe said...

I'm watching the news right now seeing North Korea test nuclear weapons. Along with that I have been thinking about torture of terrorist suspects that the American government engaged in. I think as Christians we need to be able to step outside of our bubble and show empathy for others, non-Christians included. Regardless of who they are we should not seek vengeance but a restoration of his creation. Even for myself I pray I have a broken heart for those who seek to use violence as a means to their end. I also pray that I will mourn when their children are killed in the cross fire of battle or houses are destroyed from bombings.