" I Don't do Sad"

A friend of mine recently told me that she heard a Christian leader say he "doesn't do sad". Now, I have no idea about the context of that statement but I must admit it has bothered me for quite some time. I asked another friend of mine who is in ministry with her husband about this and she told me that there is a modern prevailing idea in the Christian world that church needs to be a happy, upbeat place to combat all the heartache of the world. Again, I was perplexed and have been thinking about this over and over.

Are we really not to do sad? How can that statement even line up with scripture? Isn't Jesus called the man of sorrows?

I agree that there is unspeakable joy in being one of God's children but we greatly rejoice in our salvation though now for a little while we may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. We are called to bear one another's burdens, rejoicing when one rejoices and to weep when another weeps. Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He was in deep sorrow over their sin. The early church suffered all kinds of trials for their faith and supported each other in outstanding ways through sacrifice and generosity. And the preacher says, "I don't do sad" .

I have to argue that we must do sad! If we are to meet people where they are to share the good news of Jesus with them, odds are we will be right in the middle of sad. This world offers nothing but sadness, heartache and depression. God's message is a light in the darkness. We must be willing to meet sad. That doesn't mean we stay there but we have to go there. Our role is to be the light in the darkness. We are to introduce sad to the joy of knowing Christ.

What the statement, "I don't do sad" said to my friend was that he was not willing to see her sadness. That her state of sadness was not important enough to help her through it. As Satan offers destructive answers for the world's sadness, we have a life-giving solution to the painful moments of life. It is our privilege to grab the hand of a hurting friend and lift them up to the giver and sustainer of life, the one who changes mourning to dancing.

Happiness void of acknowledging that people are hurting is superficial. Sadness void of the joy of our salvation is just depressing. It is better to do what is real and authentic. Let's be the Church that is there for each other when we are on the mountain or in the valley. Let's endure with each other, bear with each other, and ride the waves of life together. Let's not leave each other when the going gets tough and let's not portray a fake, happy countenance when those around us are struggling. Let's live life together and love each other when times are good and when times are bad encouraging each other to rejoice in the Lord always.

We are called to do sad. We are called to do happy. We are called to be compassionate with each other. There is a time for every season under heaven. And above all, let us do love for love covers a multitude of sins. Let's do life together with all its wonders and pain. For isn't that what Jesus does for us?