One theory (albeit could be self imposed) is this idea that Christians should have this utopian, glossed over look at all times. We shouldn't be sad, we shouldn't be sorrowful, we should never have any mood other than "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy"! And should you reveal any type of depressed like state then you are officially "moody".
Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us that "there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance". I am fairly confident I went through all four of these actions/emotions this past week alone. I suppose I'm moody... but you say that as if it's a bad thing.
Back to one of my all time favorite songs that I was surprised with yesterday morning... Jesus Saves - there is a stanza that says,
"He will live, our sorrow sharing.
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
He will die our burden bearing.
Jesus saves, Jesus saves."
I suppose if I'm moody then Jesus is right there with me. And hallelujah that He is. Because if he wasn't then I suppose I'd never make it to the laughing and dancing part.
What are people so afraid of? I know what I've been afraid of. I'm afraid that someone won't like me or won't want to be around me if I'm not bubble eyed and all smiles. But Jesus never leaves. He's sharing in the sorrow, He's bearing those burdens.
One of my favorite passages from the "Streams in the Desert" devotional is this:
"Sorrow, under the power of divine grace, performs various ministries in our lives. Sorrow reveals unknown depths of the soul, and unknown capacities for suffering and service. Lighthearted, frivolous people tend to be shallow and unaware of their own meagerness or lack of depth. Sorrow is God’s tool to plow the depths of the soul, that it may yield richer harvests. If humankind were still in a glorified state, having never fallen, then the strong floods of divine joy would be the force God would use to reveal our souls’ capacities. But in a fallen world, sorrow, yet with despair removed, is the power chosen to reveal us to ourselves. Accordingly, it is sorrow that causes us to take the time to think deeply and seriously."
I knew someone who wanted nothing to do with people who were in a bad mood. "Be in a good mood or go somewhere else" was their overall attitude. They pretended with the outside world that everything was always perfect. It also appeared that the person had no spiritual growth. They never presented themselves as a real person in need of a friend, much less a Savior.
I have been sensitive lately to how God uses the extremes in our lives. The extreme joy can be just as powerful as the extreme sorrow. I find the more I accept those "socially unacceptable" moods as opportunities to cling to Jesus that I come through much, much quicker. And the beauty is, I come through a much stronger person. And what people are seeing is real.
Trust me, I want to be the constant happy, joyful person that everyone wants to be around. But God is well aware the sorrowful moments are important too, or else, He wouldn't be willing to share in those moments with us and designate Scripture to let us know it's appropriate.
Mandisa really just says it the best in her song "What If We Were Real". My above words seem meager compared to this poetic, musical version of the same message.
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