What To Do When You're Sad

As you go through different seasons of life, you’re going to face sad situations. You’ll potentially experience depression. It’s just part of life. God gave us emotions, so it’s ok to be sad, but God doesn’t want you to be sad forever. He wants you to learn from the sad times in your life. Life is more than the feelings you feel. Life is about the choices that you make. Today I want to help you make every day count by helping you learn how to deal with sadness. God uses sadness to help you. Culture teaches us that being sad is a bad thing. When we’re around people, we try to hide our sadness. Read 1 Samuel Chapter 1. Hannah is depressed because she can’t have children. The emotional pain she’s in is so severe, she can’t eat. What can we learn from how Hannah responds to her sadness? 1. Hannah goes to church. (v9) She went to the temple to worship God. If you’re sad, you’re going to want to stay at home and isolate. If God’s going to use the sadness in your life, you have to get out of bed and worship with God’s people. 2. Hannah prays to God. (v10) She runs to God for help. When you’re sad, talk to God, lay your heart out to Him. Access my free video course called, “How to Pray” 3. Hannah admits how she feels (v15) She was honest about her sadness and shared it with Eli the priest. Stop trying to pretend that you’re not sad. Don’t be ashamed of how you feel. Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” God will put people in your life to help bear the burden you’re experiencing. 4. Hannah talks to a spiritual leader. (v15-16) That person will be able to encourage you in your time of need. Maybe it’s a counselor, pastor, small group leader, or a trusted friend. Just as every sports team needs a coach to guide them to victory, we all need a spiritual leader who will coach us through life’s problems. 5. Hannah eats. (v18) You need physical refreshment. Food is an important part of our physical health, but also our emotional health as well. If you eat bad food, you’re going to feel bad. You need proper nutrition, exercise, sunshine. Get outside, take a walk, get some fresh air, decide to start eating healthier. 6. Hannah believes God will help her. (v18) People can see sadness on our face. God had not yet answered her prayer, yet her face was no longer sad. What changed was her attitude. Her face reflected what she believed in her heart. Maybe you need an attitude change. Instead of thinking everything and everyone is against you, would you have the boldness to start believing that God is for you and that He is going to answer you? God is going to show up in your life. Hope comes from the belief that God’s going to take care of you. Hannah doesn’t know for sure that God is going to give her a child, but her belief was there. Hannah wasn’t focused on what she didn’t have, she was focused on what God was going to do. “And the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:19-20)