READ: Ecclesiastes 7
“You learn more at a funeral than at a feast –
After all, that’s where we’ll end up.
We might discover something from it.
Crying is better than laughing.
It blotches the face but it scours the heart.”
– Ecclesiastes 7:2-3 (The Message)
THINK: Spend a couple of minutes reading and rereading the words above. When you’re done consider this:
Why would the author of these words say such things? Do you relate to these verses? What feelings arise in response to them? Do you agree or disagree that “you learn more at a funeral than at a feast”? Why?
Consider a time when you experienced extreme sorrow. Looking back, what did you learn?
“Crying is better than laughing. It blotches the face but it scours the heart.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
PRAY: If you are currently experiencing sorrow, request that the Lord give you a teachable spirit to learn valuable lessons during this time. If you are not experiencing sorrow, invite the Lord to prepare you heart for those times when you will.
LIVE: C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Next time you experience pain – or you encounter someone who is experiencing pain – remember these words. Remember that God shouts in our pains; live a life that is teachable and moldable, especially during tough times.
Adapted from Eugene Peterson in Solo
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