No one likes being sad, but surprisingly, God can use sadness to make us better people.
Talking Points:
- Everyone will experience sadness. Sadness is emotional pain that results from any kind of personal loss.
- Sorrow can be good and bad. Sadness can be sinful. Our sense of loss may be related to selfish life patterns or self-centered goals. It can be a result of loving the wrong things in life. But the Bible gives many examples of godly people experiencing sadness.
- God can use our sadness to transform us.
- God can use sadness to purify what we value. It can cause you to evaluate what things really matter enough to truly be mourned.
- God can use sadness to enlarge our souls. Sorrow can make you a deeper, wiser, more compassionate person.
- God can use sorrow to develop greater dependence on him.
- God can use you to help others with their sorrow. We can show empathy and care for others because we can relate to their pain.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What is the last movie that made you cry? What happened?
- When is sadness sinful? Give an example.
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable are you expressing sorrow openly or in public? Explain.
- What are some examples of things you’ve been sad about that weren’t worth your energy? What are some examples of things that were painful in your life that were worth expressing your sadness?
- Read 2 Corinthians 7:10. What are some ways that God can use sadness to transform us?
- How have you discovered God at work during times of sorrow?
- Read Romans 12:15. Who was there to weep with you in your sadness? What did they do that helped you the most?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
