Psychologist and Life-Coach Robert Holden of England has developed what he calls the “The Happiness Project.” He once gave a talk titled “Choosing Happiness.” Halfway through, a woman interrupted, yelling from the audience: “How do you expect me to be happy after my husband died?”
He invited her onto the stage and learned that her husband recently died of a heart attack. She had been attending seminars and talks, on positive thinking. He surprisingly explained that this “positive thinking” approach was bullying her feelings into submission! Right there on the stage she burst into tears. Two weeks later, he received a note, “Thanks for making me cry.”
Holden teaches: “Keep Smiling — Unless You Feel Like Crying.” We can’t ALWAYS have happy feelings! I often remind people that it’s not bad to cry. I say, “That’s why God gave us tear ducts!”
Jesus himself grieved. He wept at the tomb of his good friend Lazarus. But Jesus also rejoiced at that tombs, after Lazarus was raised from death. He rejoiced when, after passing through the tears and commotion of a grieving family, he took a little 12-year old girl by the hand and said to her, “little girl, rise up!”
Jesus can turn death into life! He gave new life. He healed the sick. He spoke divine words of forgiveness, love, and blessings. Christians, in this day and time, participate in the ongoing life-giving, healing, love-filled ministry of Jesus.
A surgeon was at a holiday meal. The host carved the meat with great skill. When he presented the plate to the family, he commented to the surgeon, “Wouldn’t I make a great surgeon?” Without batting an eye, the surgeon replied, “Anybody can cut it up. It’s putting it back together that really counts.”
Putting lives back together is what God does. It’s the mission of our families, and it’s the mission of the church, to participate in this divine calling of putting lives back together. That happens when Jesus is in the center of our lives.
Do you need help with getting your life back together? Are you in a position to help someone get their life back together? Lift a prayer. Weep as needed. Call upon God. Center yourself on Christ Jesus, and God will put you back together.
