I’M SAVED, NOW WHAT? (part-39)

I’M SAVED. NOW WHAT?

MOURNING
Satan wants to convince believers that they can find joy in what the world
has to offer. If he is successful, then he can cause us to lose the joy of our
salvation; a joy that God wants us to be enjoying. James implies that
enjoying worldly things is a superficial joy; it is not a joy that is genuine
or lasting.
    Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your
    laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
    (James 4:9)

He says that we should be sad and mourn over the way the world is leading
so many people astray. Not only are the lost being drawn away from God,
but when believers yield to worldly pleasures, it has a negative impact on
their own faith. A believer who is living outside the boundaries of God is
going to become a miserable person.

We can begin to question the existence of God whenever we think we have
found joy in temporary pleasures without Him. When we compare artificial
and temporal joy with the real and eternal joy available to those who are
saved, it should make us sad to realize how so many are being deceived.

When Joel called on the people of his day to repent,
he used the words “mourning” and “weeping”.
    “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me
     with all your heart, with fasting and weeping
     and mourning.” (Joel 2:2)

Jesus also used the words “mourn” and “weep” when describing those who
have been charmed by worldly pleasures (in particular those who are wealthy
enough to please themselves with the things the world has to offer). They may
be laughing and having a good time enjoying the things they can afford, but
a time is coming when they will realize how they wasted their time
by focusing on the wrong things. Their priorities were all wrong.
    Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
    Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
    (Luke 6:25)

The difference between ‘worldly sorrow’ and ‘godly sorrow’
is profound. One leads to the hope of eternal bliss and
the other takes us down the path of destruction.
    Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation
    and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
    (2 Corinthians 7:10)

True repentance that brings salvation includes a godly sorrow about sin.
Worldly sorrow offers nothing of value and has a destination with death.
Why? Because worldly sorrow is evidence that we are still married to
worldly pleasures and values.

If our allegiance is with the world, then we have to be satisfied with its
rewards. We cannot expect to receive any heavenly rewards available
to those who are in fellowship with God and His values.

Godly sorrow leads to true repentance, which includes a change in our
behavior. When we stray from God’s design for believers, we may need
to weep our way back to Him. One of the tactics Satan uses to try and
prevent us from turning back toward God, is ‘discouragement’. He is
at war with believers and will use every opportunity he can find to win
the battle for our mind.

Here is one way Satan discourages us. When we get closer to God,
we become more aware of sins and failures that we may have not
detected when we were further away from Him. Satan will try to
use this paradox to discourage us from moving closer to God.

If he can convince us that we are more unworthy of God’s blessings
now than we were previously, then he has been successful in creating
doubt in our minds about our own salvation. This doubt can sidetrack
us from our goal of fellowshipping with the Lord.

Solomon understood the concept of changing laughter to mourning.
He knew the value of God’s timing and how it differs from ours.
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

The timing depends on our relationship with the Lord. When we are
out of fellowship with God, it is a time to weep and not a time to laugh.

On the other hand, true and lasting joy
is a by-product of salvation and living close to the Lord.
    Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
    (Psalm 51:12)

    If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love,
    just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain
    in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be
    in you and that your joy may be complete.
    (John 15:10-11)

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
    forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
    (Galatians 5:22)

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