Sorrowing, Yet Always Rejoicing

Sorrowing, yet always rejoicing...

According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:10, this is the mark of a faithful minister of Christ.

Why do servants of God sorrow?

There is one thing that should always cause us sorrow - sin.  Our own sin, and the sins of the world.  All of us, have brought sin into our church's in one way or another.  The offense sin is to God and the grief it brings Him should cause us to sorrow.  Children of the King will be characterized by sorrow over sin.  We know we belong to Him when we mourn over our sin.  We know God has begun His good work in us when sin grieves us, when it breaks our hearts, like it breaks the heart of God.

How can we rejoice when we are also sorrowing?

When we focus on the cross, where Jesus stepped into our place and made the payment for our sin with His precious blood.  We have a constant and steady flow of grace and mercy for our sin, because Jesus laid aside the glories and privileges He had in heaven with the Father and took on the likeness of our flesh and went to the cross.  In this, we rejoice, and this is the good news we are to get out to the world, and the good news also that we are to faithfully remind each other in the family of God.

Sin is present right now and its affects.  It's all around us, but so is the mercy and grace and presence of Jesus Christ...sorrowing, dealing with our sin daily, yet always rejoicing in our Beloved Savior.

Someday sin is going to be gone.  When sin is gone, the sorrowing will be gone too.  And then there will only be rejoicing.  It's a day we look forward to, with great joy and anticipation.