Page 27 - April2015-Catalyst

good grief
Jed n. snyder, d. Min.
Founder/President
Jesus Every Day Ministries, Inc. | www.jedministries.com
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
This beatitude is one that surprises us. How can the mourners be happy, satisfied, fulfilled? The simple answer is that mourning over sins we commit, sins others commit, and the effects of these sins on society is beneficial. Grief over sin is “good grief.”
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15
When we enter into both the good and hard of those around us we are, in some small way at least, learning the high and holy principle that Jesus stated –“love your neighbor as yourself.” We will all have moments of gladness and pe- riods of sadness. When we weep over the loss of a loved one, we are blessed to know that God cares and even more blessed if we have another personenteringintoourgrief. Griefforourloss is “good grief.”
“For even if I made you grieve with my let- ter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves inno- cent in the matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:8-11
When rebuke over sin causes grief that is “good grief” when repentance and restoration is the result.
Happy are the sad.
April 2015
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