Be sad!

Another post of #thirty-three (original at 01/2012)

I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. 

Salmos 69:3

Today I write this text because it worries me, very much, the fact that the sadness in our days is practically synonymous with sin in the church. As if the fact that someone feel sad qualify as less credulous in God.

I do not disagree that, in God, we have every reason for happiness in the world. No external or internal circumstances should shake us. But here's news for you: we are human!

Indeed, if it was a sin to be sad, would not have the book of praise (Psalms), Lamentations, Job, among others, and we would assume that Jesus was a sinner. See what he says to Peter, James, on the eve of the crucifixion: "And he said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here and watch." (Mark 14:34). This was not the only time he was sad, but I like the way he expressed it in these verses. Jesus was here suffering like any of us would suffer by having to face such difficulties.

I see today, also the scale of sorrows allowed. If any member of your family died, then you have the right to be sad. If you are single for a long time, then "take shame in the face" and take that sadness of heart, because you have to wait on God.

Obviously, I used two extremes. But I want to give special attention to this sad to be alone.If I decide to wait on God for someone who will be the right person for me, so it will be difficult for sure. After all, there would be much easier for me to "have fun with the wrong until right?". If I'm walking the right path I'll almost always find it difficult (or maybe ever, actually). And difficulties, however strong may be the person slaughtering a little the spirit, yes.

And if it's hard, why can not we be sad about it? Who said that being sad is synonymous with giving up hope in God, to fulfill his will? Returning to the example of Jesus in verse of Mark above. The fact that He has been sad unto death did he give up dying in our place?History shows that not.

Understand, I'm not saying here that we must live being sad. But grace is made perfect in weakness, so we remember by her how wonderful is our Lord and our soul is refreshed, renewed our spirits. For her 69th Psalm, which begins this post, ends as follows:

But as for me, afflicted and in pain — may your salvation, God, protect me.
I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
The poor will see and be glad — you who seek God, may your hearts live!
The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.
Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,
for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;
the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there. 
PSalms 69:29-36

Being full of grace Jesus faced death, and have gone through mortal sorrow, He also gives us that right.

So, let us be sad but, feelings are not sins. Do not give up, however. Wait longer, and, when not take it anymore, just wait. Cry, talk to God about your afflictions, tell him that your soul is sad. Tell Him when you have the feeling that their prayers are not passing the ceiling.

I have a younger brother. Much younger, almost like a son. So many times I understand some paternal feelings there. A father, when he sees his son sad, do not want him pretending that all is well. Moreover, as father, he has a sixth sense that all is not well. The father wants his son tell why he's sad. He wants to help the child, even if only to listen.And God is our father. He wants to hear our quiet desperation that no one sees behind the smile on church Saturday night.

God will not get angry if we say that we are sad. God will not be hurt keeping. He loves us unconditionally and even our most hurtful claims will not change that. I used only one chapter of Psalms. Read this book and you'll see David describing his sorrow several times.

But in all your sorrow, do not give up. Do not give up can stabilize financially. Do not give up going to college. Do not give up to find the man / woman of your life. Trust in God's grace. Always remember that no matter how you are, He loves you. And yet nothing changes in your life, it is too small when compared with eternity.

And those who are happy, understand the grief of your brother. Remember that grace is manifested in our love with each other. Demonstrate grace to him, console your brother at sad times. Do not judge, as did the friends of Job. Who only knows the eternal purposes is God himself. And remember that, by demonstrating such grace, you can brighten your brother, and be God's answer that he (she) was looking for.

Finally, what about some more verses from the Apostle speaks of suffering in his letters?Paul in Romans:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope
that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all —how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." [^10]
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, [^11] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
Romans 8:18-39

May the Grace of Christ guide us =)

Eu amo a tua palavra! Salmo 119

"Como são felizes os que andam em caminhos irrepreensíveis, que vivem conforme a lei do Senhor! Como são felizes os que obedecem aos seus estatutos e de todo o coração o buscam! Não praticam o mal e andam nos caminhos do Senhor." - Salmos 119: 1-3

Antes de mais nada, é importante ressaltar que o livro de Salmos foi escrito antes de Cristo, ou seja, era o período da Lei. 

Tradicionalmente, o período que se passa Antigo Testamento é chamado de período da Lei e o período do Novo Testamento (até os dias de hoje) é chamado de período da graça.

A história da Bíblia é a história de um Deus amoroso, ensinando ao seu povo os seus caminhos. Deus, como o criador da humanidade, sabe de tudo que ela precisa para viver bem, por isso o manual (a Bíblia) é tão importante. É por meio dela que vemos o quanto Deus nos ama. 

Ele, como um Deus justo, não pode aceitar pecadores no céu, pois sua santidade é incompatível com o pecado. Mas como ele poderia nos trazer para perto dele? No Antigo Testamento uma série de leis foi instituída para que o povo tivesse seus pecados absolvidos. Mas o plano de Deus, como é possível verificar em todos os profetas (e até em vários versículos de Salmos), era trazer um redentor, alguém que pagasse de vez o preço da morte que nós merecíamos pelos nossos pecados. Então Ele subsistiu em forma de homem, passou por tudo que nós passamos (todos os problemas, angústias e decepções, ainda que em um contexto temporal e cultural diferente) e ainda assim manteve-se sem pecado. Jesus Cristo morreu na cruz, e pagou o preço que só Deus poderia pagar. 

Por isso é feliz, como disse o Salmista, aquele que andam por caminhos irrepreensíveis, que andam pela lei do Senhor. Nós somos as pessoas mais felizes dessa terra, porque sabemos que o melhor está sendo feito para nós.

Um bolo de chocolate, se tivesse vida, de fato ficaria imensamente feliz ao ver que está sendo apreciado pelo paladar humano, porque é o melhor jeito que ele pode ser utilizado, foi para isso que o confeiteiro o fez. 

É uma analogia bem simplória, mas é apenas para reforçar que, andando lado a lado do Senhor, seguindo a Bíblia, nós seremos muito mais felizes, porque, independentemente das circunstâncias, saberemos que Deus tem sempre o melhor para nós.

Que Deus nos abençoe! E a Ele seja toda a glória!