Where Is Help For Me When I Am Sad

It’s normal to feel sad sometimes.  Where can we find help when we feel sad? 

There are plenty of factors that can lead to us experiencing sadness: Some causes:  Grief, relationship breakdown, job loss, health struggles, financial issues, stress, insufficient sleep, hormones, medication, lack of sunlight, feeling lonely, lack of purpose, negative thinking, memories of wrongs – just to name a few.  You can probably add a few of your own.

But usually the cause of the sadness is not the first question in our minds. What goes through our thoughts over and over again is:  Does anyone notice?  Does anyone care?  Does anyone understand? Is there anyone to help me? 

Fortunately for us every time we ask that question we can answer, “Yes.” Here’s why.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted: he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.  Psalm 34:18

God is near.  I find that so comforting. The God who can rescue me isn’t off somewhere else busy helping someone else.  He’s here for me.  He’s here for you. And look at these ways God promises to help us:

Don’t worry – I am with you.  Don’t be afraid – I am your God.  I will make you strong and help you.  I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.  Isaiah 41:10

There are many things going on around us and in us when we are sad and just to know that God promises to give us strength, support, comfort, and yes, victory over the sadness.

He makes people who are very sad well again. He helps their wounds to get better. Psalm 147:3

For most of us, the biggest question we’ll have to deal with when we are sad is this one “Am I willing to let go of being sad?”

Some of us are stubborn and self-willed enough that until circumstances change in the way we want, we hang onto our sadness.  We sometimes think our sadness can be a ticket to attention and rescue from others rather than being willing to take responsibility for our own lives.  Let’s change that today and turn to the God who is ready and willing to help us move beyond our sadness.

And so caring and loving Heavenly Father, we are coming to you because we feel the need for support and help.  We put our trust in You.  We bring all the things that make us sad to You.  Please show us how You are at work and how we can be at work to bring new hope and new joy to our hearts.

Please comfort and strengthen us.  Show us the right way forward.  Bind up our broken hearts and give us Your peace.   Amen

Next time we’ll talk about some practical ways we can address the sadness in us.  God helps us do these things.  See you then.