The Truth In Print Vol 13 Issue 9, October
2007
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SHARING SORROW AS WELL AS
JOY
In our last issue of this publication we
considered the characteristic of God as stated, "And it shall come to
pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you;
so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither
thou goest to possess it" (De. 28:63). God
delights over His people to do them good!
Having done so we next considered this
characteristic of the righteous, "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth
them out of the hand of the wicked. [11] Light is sown for the righteous, and
gladness for the upright in heart. [12] Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and
give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness" (Ps. 97:10-12). The point? Gladness is sown for the upright of heart! We are
commanded to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep,
being of the same mind one toward another (Rom.
One important consideration in that study
was the understanding that there can be suffering, sorrow, and joy in
combination and at the same times (cf. 2 Cor. 7:4; Phil.
Without carnality and jealousy we delight
when a faithful brother or sister prospers. To better understand this rejoicing
there are several "rejoice with" applications in this particular
study which may be read at: click here
Sharing Sorrow And Helping When Our Brother Is Hurting,
As we think of rejoicing, and thus helping
others, we understand the obligation of also sharing sorrow and helping when
our brethren are hurting. At times one's "hurt" is because of
adversity having come into their life, and not necessarily because of any sin
on their part. On some occasions, though, a brother or sister is filled with
anxiety because of some sin (s) committed. What should we do for
such?
If The Hurt Is Adversity,
Consider Psalm 35:17-23
"Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the
lions. [18] I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise
thee among much people. [19] Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully
rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate
me without a cause. [20] For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful
matters against them that are quiet in the land. [21] Yea, they opened their
mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye
hath seen it. [22] This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be
not far from me. [23] Stir up thyself, and
awake to my judgment, even unto my cause,
my God and my Lord."
Look at verse 19 in this statement of
humility and suffering, and understand that one's enemies willingly add hurt
and wrongfully rejoice in doing so! Considering his worthy motive — he desired
deliverance and would praise God in the great assembly — is this not a time for
concerned brothers and sisters to assist and ask God to help the suffering
soul? This is a
time for brethren in fellowship to ask what "they" ask!
And what do we know that the one suffering is asking for? Hear this,
"Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not
rejoice over me. [25] Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have
it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. [26]
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine
hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour
that magnify themselves against me" (Ps. 35:24-26).
Along with the above expressions he added
his assurance that the faithful partook in his righteous cause: "Let them
shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous
cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath
pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. [28] And my tongue shall speak of
thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long" (Ps. 35:27-28).
If The Anxiety Is Because
Of Having Sinned,
There are times when a brother or sister
have sinned, confessed and repented, and yet enemies are more than willing to
take advantage of the time of humiliation and weakness. Consider these words:
Psalm 38:13-22
"But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and
I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. [14]
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose
mouth are no reproofs. [15] For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O
Lord my God. [16] For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise
they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth,
they magnify themselves against me. [17] For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow
is continually before me. [18] For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be
sorry for my sin. [19] But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and
they
that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
[20] They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow
the thing that good is. [21] Forsake me not, O Lord: O
my God, be not far from me. [22] Make haste to help me, O Lord my
salvation."
The foot slips. Enemies magnify themselves
and gain strength. He follows what is good "now" having repented (vs.
20). His enemies return evil for his present good. He needs God's help! He asks
for help. What can we ask for? We can ask that our brother or sister might be
separated from the wicked who would return evil for their present good. We can
help them keep separate from such wicked. Or will we just set there idly and
let them suffer!
These are times for us to remember that in
their humiliation they asked for help. We've all been there ourselves, haven't
we? Did you and I not say the same when there?
Look at this! Though afflicted he was able to desire that all who seek God would rejoice and
be glad in Him:
Psalm 40:13-17
"Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O
Lord, make haste to help me. [14] Let them be ashamed and confounded together
that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to
shame that wish me evil. [15] Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame
that say unto me, Aha, aha. [16] Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be
glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be
magnified. [17] But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh
upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God."
"Sharing"
is asking God for help for them and then helping them.
We ask for
lying tongues to be stopped (Ps. 63:11).
We ask for
joy to come into their lives and help bring that joy (Ps. 86:4-5).
We ask God to
comfort them and help in doing so ourselves (Ps. 86:14-17; 2 Cor. 2:6-7).
We ask God to
let the wicked be disappointed for thinking they had overcome (Ps. 86:17).
We ask for
and then rejoice in their vindication when it comes (Ps. 35:27-28, 58:10-11).
Do you? Do you ask for them what they ask?
By Bob
Lovelace