Facing Sadness

This summer I have been re-reading a book with one of the girls I disciple.  We have both learned and grown much in our understanding of who Jesus is and how to love like he does.  It’s called Love Walked Among Us, by Paul E. Miller.  Throughout this book, I have been freed from my judgments of people as I am reminded that my job is not to fix people, but to try to understand them; I am free to be weak because I am anchored in my Father’s love; I see how loving is losing control of MY schedule, MY money, MY time; if I am completely loved by Jesus unconditionally, then I am freed to love others.

In a chapter describing how Jesus responded to rejection by people he loved came this: 

"Most of us get angry when we are hurt, and sad when we see others hurt.  But Jesus is just the opposite.  When he is hurt, he feels sad; when others are hurt, he gets mad.  Because he is bound to the Father and not to his own feelings, he feels no bitterness or self-pity.  Jesus showed us what to 'do' with an enemy in chapter 10 (love our enemies, actively seek their good, and care for them); now he shows us what to 'feel.'  Outwardly, we are to love.  Inwardly, we are to feel sadness.  Anger can be a demand for immediate justice, while sadness makes no demands on the other person to be different.  Sadness is a pure response to evil."

Prior, C.S. Lewis was quoted saying, “There is no safe investment.  To love at all is to be vulnerable.  Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.”  Miller follows up – “To love is to suffer.  To journey through love is to journey through sadness.”  It is a radical concept to not be bitter or angry when one is hurt by another – yet because Jesus was ruled by his Father, he did not pity himself but was saddened by the result of sin in the world, in human lives. 

Turning the page and considering Jesus’ reaction to seeing people hurt by other people, he always allowed his anger to lead to an act of love (like healing a man’s shriveled hand after being angered at the Pharisees lack of compassion).  His anger was honest and provoked those who caused hurt to think and change.   

I have seen God draw me closer to Himself.  When I say "no" to how my flesh would react when I am hurt (usually self-pity), I feel empty inside and am drawn to my Father who fills my emptiness with His love for the one who hurt me.  It has brought me to be dependent on my Father…as I am learning how to let go and be ruled by Him.