Overcoming Sadness

Finding Light in the Depths of Sorrow

Psalm 61: A close-up of David's heartfelt supplication. Captured by Marcy Baez Lopez.

It was eleven years ago when a simple, yet profound, insight was shared with me: "...it's okay to feel sadness... both Jeremiah and Jesus felt it." I couldn't have known then how vital that truth would become, especially after the unimaginable loss of my son just over three years ago. That thought has stayed with me, becoming an anchor in my own journey through the vast landscape of grief.

Indeed, Jeremiah, Jesus, and even King David all navigated periods of deep sadness. But the sadness of grief, especially after a profound loss like that of a child, carves its own unique canyon. Many of our forefathers, patriarchs, and other biblical figures experienced intense sorrow too, reminding us that even in our darkest valleys, we are not alone. Sadness, in all its forms, is a genuine emotion, a gift from God that allows us to fully experience life—even its most heartbreaking seasons.

We must RISE beyond it! RISE from the ashes! RISE from our sadness, RISE from our sorrow, and RISE from our grief!

However, through my own journey with the searing pain of losing my son, I've learned we aren't meant to linger indefinitely in that consuming state or dwell forever in our sorrow. The darkness can feel all-encompassing, but a whisper, a promise, reminds us we must rise beyond it. We rise from the ashes of what was, rise from the crushing weight of grief, rise from the profound ache of sorrow...

As Psalm 30:5 (AMP) became one of my anchors:

"...weeping (mourning) may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) AMP

Yes, Jeremiah's lament (Jeremiah 20:7-18) mirrored the raw questions of my own grieving heart.

Yes, Jesus's sorrow in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-39) showed me that even divine pain seeks solace in prayer, prompting me to seek renewal and refreshment in His presence.

Yes, King David's Psalms (like Psalms 86) weren't just ancient verses; they were a roadmap for finding strength amidst my deepest sadness, reminding me that honest emotion and unwavering faith can coexist.

So, yes, embrace your sadness, your grief, your sorrow—every fragile, heartbreaking emotion that comes with loss. Feel it fully. Yet, by God's grace, do not linger there. Through my own pain, I've found that allowing hope to slowly, tenderly blossom within, ignites a quiet passion that compels you, little by little, to rise and go—to find purpose and light again, not despite the loss, but sometimes, even through it.

This is the good fight of faith, the race we must run well (Hebrews 12:1; 1 Timothy 6:12). For me, it's been the fight to choose life, to choose hope, even when the darkness felt overwhelming. May our hearts cling to God, and may His right hand protect and support us as we walk our unique, often painful, journeys through healing and deliverance.

As Isaiah 61:3 (KJV) beautifully states: "To appoint unto them that mourn... to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

P.S. This piece holds a special place for me, having first taken shape in 2014 and originally published in 2021. Revisiting and updating it today has been a powerful reminder of growth and enduring hope.