God, I Feel SadExemplo

A Time to Step Away from Sadness

It’s okay to be sad, and it’s okay to sit with that sadness for a time. In fact, we need some time to process our sadness. As Solomon said, “There is a time to cry . . . and a time to be sad.” But it’s also okay to stop being sad (or to at least set it aside for a while). It’s okay to smile. And it’s okay to be hopeful and joyful and happy again.

Because while God gave us sadness for a reason—to help us recognize that we’ve been hurt—He also gave us laughter and love, hope and joy for a reason. To give us a glimpse of how life forever with Him will be (Revelation 21:4).

Turning our sadness into joy isn’t like flipping a switch, though, and rarely is it done in an instant. It’s a process. And the greater the sadness, the more of a process it will be.

We can begin by laying our feelings of sadness in His hands and entrusting them to His care. Not in a “give it to God and let it go” kind of way. But rather embracing the truth that He is at work and is able to turn all things to our eternal good (Romans 8:28).

And then . . . we take a deep breath and move. Whether it’s going for a walk or a run, dancing in the kitchen to a favorite tune, or simply going about the daily business of life, moving our bodies also works to move our hearts and souls. And as we move, let’s speak His praises—including a praise for the way we trust Him to bring back the joy that we don’t yet see.

For Little Ones:

It’s okay to be sad. Because sad things happen. But it’s also okay to stop being sad—to put our sadness on a shelf for a little while and enjoy being happy again. Letting yourself be happy doesn’t mean you don’t care about the sad thing that happened. And if you need to, you can even take that sadness off the shelf and feel it again in your heart and body.

God filled the whole wide world with so many reasons to laugh and smile and be happy. Like roly-poly panda bears, friends who tell silly jokes, and people who love you. These things remind us that God is good and wonderful.

What are some things that make you laugh and smile and feel happy?

In moments of sadness:

• After your child has named what they’re feeling and described where they feel it in their body, help them let the tension of that feeling out of their body. That could be taking deep, audible breaths; shaking out their arms and hands; going for a run; scribbling it out; or dancing it out.
• Help your child take a break from their sadness by encouraging them to play a game with friends, do a favorite hobby, watch a favorite show, or read a book.
• Simply get outside and allow the Creator to wash away the sadness for a time with the wonder and beauty of His creation.