Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
2 Corinthians 6:10 NIV
Aching Hearts
Canadians were among the most worried people on the planet at one point during the pandemic. In January 2021, UK-based online contact lens shop Lenstore compiled data from 10 health metrics for 24 countries, basically by sleuthing a bunch of public health websites for stats. According to their findings, 26 per cent of Canadians said they have felt anxious, stressed, or sad at some point during the COVID pandemic. That figure is high enough for a second-place tie with our fellow fretters in the United Kingdom.
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Sadly, sorrow is far too common an experience here on this planet. No one is exempt from it – and it often comes when we least expect it, which makes the grief even heavier. Jesus was certainly not exempt from this – in fact, He is known as the Man of Sorrows. After knowing nothing but the joys of Glory, it must have been a huge shock to Jesus to step into this world filled with sin, guilt, shame and sorrow. I can’t begin to imagine. The apostle Paul also knew his share of sorrow. As he made his missionary trips, he faced all sorts of dangers, trials, difficulties, pressure, loss, and sorrows. In spite of it all, he writes this in 2 Corinthians 6:10: “Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” In spite of the sorrows he had experienced, Paul knew the joy of being in the centre of God’s will for his life. Jesus did as well. For the joy set before Him, the Man of Sorrows endured the cross. If you are going through a time of sorrow and loss, it will end, with joy.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley