Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Rom. 12:15). I get the mourning:weeping. After all, that’s one of the reasons I studied counseling. I wanted to learn to care for those who are hurting and to comfort those who are mourning or discouraged.
But rejoicing? Now that is often a different matter altogether, isn’t it? Sometimes it’s just plain hard to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Like when your friend’s son is engaged to a godly young woman, but your own children are making poor life choices. Or when a friend’s husband surprises her with a birthday or anniversary vacation, but your own marriage and finances are limping along. Or when a friend announces her pregnancy the same day you are grieving the loss of yet another miscarriage. Does any of this sound familiar?
But there it is in God’s Word, plain and simple: Rejoice with those who rejoice.
I can think of several situations where I, sadly and embarrassingly, chose to respond with jealousy and anger, rather than rejoicing. I even rationalized my response by telling myself the other person was being selfish and prideful.
I once heard a pastor share that he and his wife were visiting friends during a season when they were struggling financially. During supper, their friends told them that they had recently come into a large, unexpected inheritance. I can only imagine how hard it was for the pastor and his wife to sit at the dinner table and be excited for the season of financial blessing that had come to their friends.
I also remember the other side. I remember the discouragement when my own joy bubble burst and I felt the sting of embarrassment, and even shame, as I realized a loved one could not rejoice with me when I had some exciting news to share.
What a gift it is when a friend truly, deeply rejoices with our rejoicing! I remember a dear friend who cried with joy when I told her I was pregnant after many long years of miscarriages. What a gift her joy was to me.
God knows why He commands these things that sometimes feel so very impossible. Yet I grow in faith as I choose to trust that His love and care for me is just as great as it is for my friends. (For without faith it is impossible to please God.)
It also blesses the socks off those I love who are rejoicing and binds our friendship even closer.
Rejoice with those who rejoice. What does that look like for you right now, right here, this moment?
~ By Jennifer Dale
