Catechism: Mental Health And The ChurchSample

Everywhere we look is a reminder that God has woven cycles throughout his creation, including into our own lives.

It's so evident in nature, as spring gives way to summer then fall and to winter and back to spring. The waves of the ocean push upward on to the beach only to recede into the distance.

Today’s passage gives us a snapshot of someone experiencing the trough between two waves, not only in his physical circumstances but also in his perception of his relationship to God.

In the heartbreak of feeling distant from God, he turns to God and cries out his longing for God’s presence. 

Even as he pours out his feelings of discouragement and sadness, rejection, and grief, he deliberately reminds himself not only of the joys and celebrations of the past but also of God’s unfailing love. 

In the midst of his pain from the accusations of his enemies, he proclaims his trust in God’s love.

Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that there is a season for everything, and there is a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

These times are not assigned to different people.

God has not designated one group to exclusively plant, cry, and grieve any more than he has chosen others to only harvest, laugh, and dance.

Each of these times or seasons are a part of every person’s life.

And when your time is one of grief, rejection, sorrow, or pain, you can benefit from the lessons of the Psalmist. 

Cry out your longing for God.
Lament the depth of your pain or grief.
Recount to yourself memories of times of joy and celebration.
Encourage yourself with words and songs of praise and worship to God.
Speak to yourself words of hope for the future and trust in the God who is with you yesterday, today, and tomorrow no matter what season you are in.

The undeniable constant in life’s continuous cycles of change is God’s presence and his overwhelming love for you.

• Do times of pain usually drive you towards or away from God? Has what you read changed or modified how you will respond in the future? Why or why not?
• What value, if any, have you seen in the times you have grieved or suffered?
• How have those times influenced your relationships with friends, family, and God?