Working While Weeping

Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them. - Psalm 126:5-6

Shannon Fernando, in her message on Sunday, pointed out how it’s really hard work to press through our sadnesses.

She showed us the active words in these verses: sow, reap, go out, carrying, returning, carrying. Often it’s those who are less privileged amongst us who understand these things naturally because there’s not that extra layer of financial protection to ‘buy’ time to process or grieve. For example, to drum up money for the funeral you may have to make signs to hold at an intersection or hold a car wash. And you may have to keep investing in your kids even though your boss mistreats you and is racist.

One way or the other, this psalm invites us to work through our weeping. There are still things to do in the world. There are still causes to fight for, mouths to feed, and seeds of hope to plant.

Is there some place in your life where you feel paralyzed by your sadness? Can you imagine one small step - perhaps even as tiny as texting a friend to pray for you - that you could take to move an inch forward?

What work might be calling you to now? What weeping?