Lent Guide 2023Sample

Thursday - Freudenfreude

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.”

Romans 12:14,15,17

Another word which the Germans use is freudenfreude. It literally means joy-joy. It is the opposite of schadenfreude, and it means that I’m happy about the success of others. If I experience success, there is a need to share it with others and my expectation is that people with whom I share my success will be happy with me. If there is a negative reaction of competition for example, it is disappointing and the connection between me and the other party is damaged. That’s not what good friends do. A good friend cries with you if you cry and is happy with you when you are happy. Paul’s invitation is bless, do not curse, do not repay evil with more evil (Rom 12:14,15,17). More freudenfreude and less schadenfreude.

Practically speaking, it means that if something shares something with me about which they are excited, I express interest by asking them to share even more of the experience. I receive it and am happy with them by telling them so. If someone is happy with me about something good that has happened to me, I thank them.

At school, our rugby coach taught us to always say thank you to the team if you score a try, and always go to the person who scored the try to congratulate him. I’m not always going to score the try, but I am always going to be happy with others when a try is scored. It promotes connection and feels so good!

You can now take a few moments and think of people in your life in whose happiness you can share. You can share their happiness intentionally by listening to their story of success and to tell them that you are happy with them.

You can share something you are grateful for with someone close to you and thank them that they listened and shared in your joy.

Grace:

Lord, I ask for the grace of a life without comparison.