Journal Entry 2

So, last time I posted one of my journal entries, it was about singleness and the purpose of relationships. This post is going to be of another couple of entries I wrote a long time ago. It's not particularly something that I'm feeling right now, but I was reminded of it, so I thought I would share it. I'll post the dates for the entries with them, and then I'll finish up with some of my present thoughts.

3-28-08:

"This is a little epiphany I had some time ago, possibly during J-Term. It's something that I still need to think about and be reminded of.

Grief is a good thing to have. It shows how much you care for the person you are grieving over. However, you must take special care not to let it consume you. Being consumed with grief can almost put you in a worse condition than the person you are concerned about. Sympathy and empathy are wonderful to have, but you should never try to shoulder the weight all by yourself. Sometimes it's easier to fall into a mournful depression than it is to receive the joy of knowing that you do not have to carry it alone. Just think: If you are so grieved for this person, can you possibly imagine how much more their Father is, the One who knew their very heart and soul before their birth? Give your burdens and grief over to Him."

3-29-08:

"'It's not my problem anymore. You see, it never really was.' - 'Sinking,' Jars of Clay"

I wrote these down during the winter of my freshman year at SAU. I was being completely consumed with grief during J-Term that year because someone I cared for very deeply was having a horrible time in their life, and was doing things I knew would only help toward their own eventual self-destruction. God taught me a lot over J-Term that year, including what I posted above. I would like now now add Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11a: "For godly gried produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this gried has produces in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!" Wow. God showed me the difference between godly grief and worldly grief outside of this passage, then cemented in into my head through this passage. What an amazing God! My next entry (written down the next day, although the idea actually came a lot later than the previous entry) is pretty much the final say in the matter, and the point at which Christ gave me true freedom from what was once consuming my being.

Again, not something that I've been dealing with lately, but as I write this post out, I'm realizing how important this really is to remember. The few things I've written in my journal during the time I've had it are not very long, but they are things which glorify God's name by revealing very important lessons which He has taught me over the years. Since I only write in my journal sporadically and at times when I feel God is most strongly and obviously speaking to me, there's not many left, haha, but I'll be sure to post more of them in the future...so keep an eye out.

Side note: I went to a Christmas party for the Sokol side of my family this past Sunday afternoon. By the prodding of one of my aunts (in her own words," Life's too short!"), I gave my real dad a hug for pretty much the first time ever. That...is something which, for most of my life, I never thought would happen or which I would never get the chance to do. I hope maybe someday I can call him "dad."

Peace.