The Other Side of Sadness
Griffith Baptist Church – 1/20/08
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 30
Key Verse: Psalm 30:5
Introduction
I heard of a pastor who was visiting a hospital when the nurse told him about a patient that had just been transferred from a nursing home because her condition was worsting. The nurse said, "Someone really ought to visit her. She is very deformed and her body has been twisted since childhood. She really needs someone to go by and try to cheer her up."
So the pastor went by to visit her. He always carried around a little booklet that he gave to people to read who were very depressed because it was such a cheerful and uplifting book. He told the woman, "I have something for you. It’s a happy book, an uplifting book, an encouraging book, it’s a good book. I want you to read it because I believe it can give you strength." He woman looked at the book he gave her and she responded, "I really ought not to take that book sir." He replied, "Why not? Have you already read it?" She said, "I have not only read it. I wrote it!"
Friends, our happiness and joy are not dependent upon our physical condition, but upon the Lord and his grace. -Mike Minix
o All of us go through times of sadness and trials. There are periods when we are low.
o Life is like a roller coaster; ups and downs, twists and turns, and sometimes it will turn you on your head.
o God does such wonderful restorative works on our behalf.
Our key verse tells us the whole crux of the matter in this area of God restoring us to a happy state:
1. God’s anger is short-lived
2. He desires to show goodwill and favor to us
3. Sadness is dark and temporary
4. Joy is as dependable as the morning
Three accomplishments God uses to bring us from sadness to gladness
Body
1. There Is A Spiritual Resurrection – 30:1-4
A. When we go through times that are rough there are feelings that are negative
i. It seems like our enemies are laughing at us – 1
ii. It affects us physically, mentally and spiritually – 2
iii. It feels like we are alone in our suffering – 3
iv. It sometimes even feels like we are dying and this is the end - 3
B. God does something for us in all of this:
i. He lifts us up – encourages us in some way - 1
ii. He heals us – He can make us feel better and indeed bring healing – 2
iii. He lets us know we are not alone and that He cares deeply - 3
2. There Is A Sobering Reminder – 30:6-9
A. Nothing wakes us up to our dependency on God than trials
B. Sobering reminders are good
C. Sometimes we begin to trust in other things:
i. Prosperity - materialism
ii. Self-Righteousness
iii. Intellectual (our knowledge)
iv. Others – looking to persons rather than God
D. We are brought low so God can wake us up to our need of Him
3. There Is A Satisfaction Reached – 30:10-11
A. Mercy and Help are accessible because God is ready to give it – 10 – Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. And Psalms 54:4 - Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
B. We go through a transformation - 11
i. Sadness to dancing and signs of gloom to signs of gladness
ii. It is:
a. Complete – to be turned or transformed. God takes us all the way through
b. Divine – It is from Him and is a gift He alone can give
c. Personal – “thou” and “my” – He gives us personal attention in every detail
d. Gracious – It is undeserved goodness to us.
Conclusion:
Our happiness depends on four factors:
1. Dependence on God
2. Trust in His promises
3. Our attitude about our circumstances
4. Our reactions to His testing
