How to Deal With Sadness

Brother Richie Juatco: Sadness and depression are affecting millions today—so much so that 1 in 10 youth in the U.S. are struggling to function at school, work, or home. And even those who claim depression is a choice, they still end up facing moments of deep sadness. Even Christians face sadness. Left unchecked, it can harm our health, our mind, our relationships, and our spiritual life. Suicidal thoughts are also becoming more common, an irreversible mistake we must learn to prevent. So what does the Bible teach about dealing with sadness and overcoming it? 

This is what we’ll study today, here on The Message. 

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How to Deal With Sadness

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The Message

Brother Richie Juatco:  Hi. Thank you for joining us. I’m Brother Richie Juatco. 

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Brother Mark Vasquez

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Richie Juatco

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Mark Vasquez: And I’m Brother Mark Vasquez. 

[0:53] The Reality of Sadness

Brother Mark Vasquez: Even as Christians, we cannot avoid getting sad at times. And if we do not learn how to handle and deal with it effectively, it will affect all other aspects of our life, including our health, our frame of mind, and relationships with others. And worst of all, even our chance for salvation. Suicidal thoughts of depression are starting to become a common thing, and we know there’s no recovery from that mistake. 

Brother Richie: Now, since the problem is sadness or depression, the solution that many are trying to find is happiness. But can anyone even attain true happiness in this life? Now, as long as one is happy, let’s say, Brother Mark, they’re smiling, they’re laughing, would that be evidence of overcoming sadness? 

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Does a happy face really mean sadness is gone?

Brother Mark: Well, let’s read the answer here in the Holy Scriptures. We’ll read in the Book of Proverbs. We’ll read 14 and the verse is 13,

Someone who is laughing may be sad inside [Even in laughter the heart may feel pain], and joy may end in sadness.
-Proverbs 14:13 Expanded Bible

Brother Mark: Isn’t this so true? The Bible teaches that even though people might appear to be laughing or enjoying themselves, they may be sad inside.

Brother Richie: You know, actually, this probably happens often, because most likely when someone is sad, he or she doesn’t want anyone to know—but the sadness inside, it’s still there. 

Brother Mark: It’s still there. And also, it’s important to note that even though a person experiences genuine joy, the Bible teaches us that “joy may end in sadness.” You know even comedians whose jobs, their career, is to be funny and make other people laugh, they might be going through such a low point in their lives, but yet they’re able to hide that. 

Brother Richie: You know, how serious is that, persistently remaining in a depressed state or sad mood? How severe can sadness or depression get, and what could those who reach that point, what could happen to them? 

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What might happen if someone is constantly sad?

Brother Mark: We’ll read what might happen to them here in the book of Psalms. We’ll read Psalms, chapter 6, and the verse is 6,

I am worn out with grief; every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.
-Psalm 6:6 Good News Translation

Brother Mark: We can see that a person can actually be “worn out with grief” or sadness. Not being able to rest and find peace can be very dangerous. 

Brother Richie: You know, you say dangerous. What’s the danger of having this frame of mind? 

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What’s the danger of constantly being sad?

Brother Mark: Let’s read what the danger is in the Book of Jeremiah. We’ll read Jeremiah, 8 and the verse is 18. We’ll see why it’s so dangerous to feel this way,

My grief is incurable; My heart is sick.
-Jeremiah 8:18 New World Translation 2013

Brother Mark: Being in a constant state of grief or sadness is dangerous, because the heart can feel so sick that one feels that his or her sadness or grief is incurable. And if grief is incurable, then one might feel that there’s no hope. And a hopeless way of thinking, that’s dangerous, because this is when evil thoughts can creep in and people might even think of harming themselves. They might even think about ending their own life. 

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How to Deal With Sadness

Brother Richie: Brother Mark, what is in the heart that causes a person to feel so sick to the point of depression or hopelessness?

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What is in the heart that leads to deep sadness or hopelessness?

Brother Mark: Well, read what’s in the heart here in the Book of Proverbs. We’ll read 12, we’ll read in verse 25, what’s in the heart which might make people feel this way. It says this,

[4:28] Anxiety and Negative Thinking Lead to Depression

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, …
-Proverbs 12:25 New King James Version

Brother Mark: So the anxiety or the feeling of being anxious, worried. or nervous. that builds up in the heart—that’s what causes depression. Notice that it’s not the actual problems that cause depression or sadness, but rather the anxiety that one feels when thinking and feeling that problem. 

Brother Richie: You know that’s correct. The way we think about a problem is vital on whether or not we handle the problem the right way. 

Brother Mark: Exactly. And since that’s true, let’s ask, can anxiety build in our hearts, because of the way we think of the problems?

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Can the way we think about challenges build anxiety inside us?

Brother Richie: You know, the Bible does teach us the way we control our thoughts, it really has something to do with how we are going to feel, how we’re going to handle the situation. We can read that here in the Book of Lamentations. We’ll read from what’s written in chapter 3, verse 19, to 20. It says this,

The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison. I think of it constantly, and my spirit is depressed.
-Lamentations 3:19-20 Good News Translation

Brother Richie: Here we can see that this servant was experiencing a “bitter poison.” Now what was poisoning him? He’s the one that said, “The thought of my pain,… I think of it constantly.” So it’s actually possible to poison ourselves just by constantly thinking about our problems. And if this is the case, one will feel hopeless and depressed. 

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How to Deal With Sadness

Brother Mark: That’s a very difficult situation for one to be in. But Brother Richie, how can one get out of this mindset? How can one get out of that state of mind so that they don’t fall into that depression? 

[6:23] Finding Hope by Remembering God’s Love and Mercy

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How can someone escape thinking patterns that cause depression?

Brother Richie: So we read 19 to 20. Let’s just keep learning. We’ll read 21 to 24. It says,

Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing: The LORD’S unfailing love and mercy still continue, Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The LORD is all I have, and so in him I put my hope.
-Lamentations 3:21-24 Good News Translation

Brother Richie: Notice how this servant was able to recover from a depressed state of mind. How did he do it? He said, “Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing.” What did he remember? He said, “The LORD’S unfailing love and mercy still continue.” So just remembering that there is a God—He is alive, we can receive His help—brings hope back into our lives, and pulls us out of a hopeless or depressed state. You know, when we forget God, life can be very heavy, especially with all its disappointments and failures. But when we view life with God in mind, we will always see things differently, with optimism and hope.

Brother Mark: And that’s a good thing for people to do, to think about and remember the Lord God. But, Brother Richie, is it enough for one just to have got in mind for them to receive His help and His goodness?

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Is just thinking about God enough to receive His help and blessings?

Brother Mark: That’s a good question, because some might say, “Well, I think about God. Where’s the help?” Let’s just keep learning. We read 21 to 24. We’ll keep going now to 25 and 26. It says,

The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him, So it is best for us to wait in patience—to wait for him to save us—
-Lamentations 3:25-26 Good News Translation

Brother Richie: The Bible specifies, “The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him.” So in order to get God’s help and goodness, we need to prove we trust in Him first. How do we do that? We follow His instructions, because that proves we trust in Him. So if we are to follow His instructions, what is His main instruction to prove our trust and then thus receiving His goodness and help?

[8:40] Worshiping God and Receiving His Help

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How can we prove our trust in God to receive His help and goodness?

Brother Mark: Let’s read how we can prove that. Here in the Book of Psalms, we’ll read 34, and the verse is 9,

Worship GOD if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness.
-Psalm 34:9 The Message

Brother Mark: Worshiping God proves we trust him and it, according to the Bible, “opens doors to all his goodness.” In fact, the very reason He created us and gives us life is to worship Him and receive His goodness. Now we know that many people have different faiths and beliefs and different ways about going about their life. Some choose to worship God and some don’t. And God gives people the choice to make their own decision. But the biblical truth is, “Worship GOD if you want the best.”

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How to Deal With Sadness

Brother Richie: Now, many people might be thinking, “I do worship God. I’m religious. I have a form of worship. So where is the happiness that God provides that’s going to take away my sadness or depression?” Now, this question might creep into the thoughts of those who feel they are already where they should be, meaning they’re in their particular faith, religion, or church. So let’s answer that question. Where exactly is the happiness God provides that will take away our sadness or depression? 

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Where is the true happiness that God promises?

Brother Mark: Let’s read what that happiness is, where that happiness is, here in the Scriptures. We’ll read in the Book of Hebrews. We’ll read Hebrews 12:22 until verse 24,

But you have come right up into Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the gathering of countless happy angels; and to the church, composed of all those registered in heaven; and to God who is Judge of all; and to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven, already made perfect; and to Jesus himself, who has brought us his wonderful new agreement; and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.
-Hebrews 12:22-24 The Living Bible

Brother Mark: Happiness, which is the solution to sadness or depression in this life, is in the gathering in heaven. And those included in that gathering is, the Bible said, “the church, composed of all those registered in heaven.”

[11:10 ]True Happiness Is Found in the Church Of Christ

Brother Richie: So first we need to understand that true happiness is not attained in this life, but rather, as we read—in heaven. 

Brother Mark: That’s correct. And in order to be registered in heaven, we also need to be registered in the church. The Bible did not mention multiple churches or any church of your choosing. Therefore, the goal should be to be part of the particular church composed of all those registered in heaven.

Brother Richie: So, Brother Mark, since that is the Bible’s teaching, what is that particular Church that the Bible is teaching that we should be a part of? 

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Which is the true Church that we should be a part of?

Brother Mark: That’s a good question. Let’s read the same verse, but this time we’ll read it in another translation. Hebrews 12:22, this time until verse 23,

But you have come into the reality (of which the symbols only pointed to), to Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem—the heavenly city of the living God—and you are part of that city. You have come to join millions upon millions of angels rejoicing in God’s presence, into the heavenly sanctuary—the true church of Christ—whose identities are stored in heaven …
-Hebrews 12:22-23 The Remedy New Testament

Brother Mark: The particular church that we need to be a part of in order to be among the happy gathering in heaven is, the Bible told us, the “church of Christ,” and not just any church of Christ, but specifically “the true church of Christ.” Being a member of the Church Of Christ—the true Church Of Christ—by being a member, one will always have hope of receiving true happiness reserved in heaven. But the question, Brother Richie, now is when? When will those in the true Church Of Christ receive the true happiness in heaven? 

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How to Deal With Sadness

[13:10] Christ’s Promise: Sadness Will Turn Into Joy

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When will those in the true Church Of Christ receive happiness in heaven?

Brother Richie: Let’s get the answer of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. We’ll read what He teaches to those inside His church, the true Church Of Christ. We’ll read in John, 16, verse 20 and 22. Here it says,

I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness. … “Now you’re in a painful situation. But I will see you again. Then you will be happy, and no one will take that happiness away from you.
-John 16:20 & 22 Names Of God Bible

Brother Richie: Here the Lord Jesus Christ makes a promise to those in His Church, the true Church Of Christ. What did He promise? He said, “I will see you again.” So this is the day when He returns or Judgment Day. Now, on that day, what will the members of the Church Of Christ experience? Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Then you will be happy, and no one will take that happiness away from you.” So this is the true happiness. This is what will be experienced—the ultimate solution to all of our problems and feelings of pain, sadness, and depression. 

Brother Mark: And this is what we could look forward to, Brother Richie. 

Brother Richie: That’s right. 

Brother Mark: But the question is, from now until then, what did the Lord Jesus Christ teach to us that we should prepare for while we’re still here, while we’re not yet at the place that God promised where we’ll experience that happiness?

Brother Richie: Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one that made very clear, He said, “You will cry because you are sad,… You will feel pain.” So if there’s anyone listening today, who is going through a rough period in your life, know that this is actually what the Lord Jesus Christ warned us would happen. 

Brother Mark: So since we have to experience those things, Brother Richie, what is it that members of the Church Of Christ, what should we do to protect ourselves from falling into a depressed state of mind as we wait for the day the Lord Jesus Christ comes back? 

[15:16] How to Overcome Sadness Through Prayer and Trust in God

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How can we guard our minds from depression while awaiting Christ’s return?

Brother Richie: Let’s turn to what’s written in I Peter. We’ll read from chapter 5,  we’ll read verse 7, and then we’ll also read verse 10. Listen to the instruction of God through the Apostle Peter. It says,

Tell God about all the things that make you sad or afraid or angry. Give your thoughts about those things to him and let them remain with him. Do this, because you matter to him. You will have trouble and pain for a short time. But after that, God, who is so completely kind, will make everything right. God has caused you to be united to Christ, so that you will live with him always. You will live with him in the beautiful place where he lives. And God will make you completely as you should be. He will make you strong, so that nothing can ever stop you believing him.
-I Peter 5:7 & 10 EasyEnglish Bible

Brother Richie: So what is the biblical instruction when we feel moments of sadness, even fear, or anger? Well, we are taught, “Tell God about all [those] things.” How do we communicate with God, Brother Mark, if we want to follow this instruction, we want to give those things to God?

Brother Mark: We communicate with our Lord God by means of prayer. And for all of our friends, if you don’t know how to pray, that’s not a problem. We actually encourage you to watch our other episode, “How to Pray to God.” But Brother Richie, if we communicate with the Lord God about all those things that we might be experiencing, what is it that our friends, and all of us, should mention in our prayers—especially in those moments when we feel as though we don’t have the strength, we don’t have the ability to handle our situation, when we feel like we’ve reached our own limitations?

Brother Richie: You know, the Bible teaches that we should “Give [our] thoughts about those things to him.” And what is the specific instruction regarding our worries expressed in our prayers? We did read, it says, “and let them remain with him.” Therefore, if we really do trust God with our problems, then we will not actually feel the same anxiety after the prayer as we did before.

Brother Mark: What is it that God will do to those faithful servants that matter to Him? 

Brother Richie: Well, we did read that, “God… will make everything right.” Now how will He do that? We read, “He will make you strong.” Now, who are these people that God cares so much about that He is going to strengthen them, He is going to make things right for them? Well, the Bible specifies, “God has caused you to be united to Christ.” So we studied many times in our other episodes that it is the true Church Of Christ that is united to Christ. 

So, we studied many times in our episodes that it is the true Church Of Christ that is united to Christ.

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How to Deal With Sadness

Brother Mark: For those watching this who are having difficulty emerging from a depressed state of mind and are looking for help, this is the very reason we produce episodes like this, so that you could hear God’s instructions to receive His help and mercy. But we also encourage you to reach out to one of the ministers for counseling and biblical guidance to help inspire you during a challenging time. 

Brother Richie: And for those members of the true Church Of Christ, the invitation to speak to a minister is always open. No matter how difficult your situation might be, let’s remember that true happiness is waiting for us—when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. But as we wait, never forget that our God is always ready to hear our prayers and provide us with the strength that we need. 

Brother Mark: For those hearing this for the first time, we encourage you to keep learning more of God’s written words taught here inside the Church Of Christ. Come visit a congregation near you.

Or if you want, ask us a question now, by clicking the link in the description and inquire how to listen to the basic teachings of the Bible. 

Brother Richie: Now, if you’re already going through those lessons or wherever you are in your spiritual journey, make sure that your journey does not stop here. Keep watching and growing with us and stay constantly tuned in to The Message.

On behalf of all of us here at The Message, we thank you for joining us in this episode. But before we conclude, please join us for a short prayer.

Brother Richie: We thank you so much, dear Father, for the mercies that You showed us today, allowing us to hear Your truth, to help us deal with the different problems that might make us feel sad or depressed. 

We see, dear God, that there are many things in this world that can bring sorrow to the people that You created. We are grateful for Your help. We are so happy every time we know that we are not by ourselves. We praise You, dear God. Truly we honor and we glorify Your most holy Name. 

We are asking that You give Your favor to those that are listening and watching. For all those that are going through rough times, dear God, please allow these words of Yours to sink deep into our hearts and minds, that we will be able to have the guide needed to overcome these difficult situations, that we’ll be able to handle our problems with faith, and be able to understand living in this world, there really is no solution on our own. You are the solution. You are the answer. And You have taught us today that the happiness will be able to be found inside the true Church Of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, we also approach You. We ask that You please bring this prayer to our God, and please give strength to all those that You’ve allowed to be inside the Church, knowing that the true happiness is waiting for us there in heaven, that You have prepared a home for us for. 

We thank you, dear God. We ask that You please bless the entire Church. Bless the Administration that You place in the Church to guide us. And please allow all of us to continue to move forward, holding on to Your truth and growing in our faith. 

We pray for all of these things through the name of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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