"Sadness"

The sadness is a monster,

That drives you to the brink,

Can overwhelm the strongest,

The highest still can sink,

Into depths of depression,

Says you have no choice,

But to die in that dark valley,

Where no one hears your voice.

And I was not that person,

Whose feelings got that low,

Did not understand depression,

Don’t know what you don’t know.

But heart attacks and trouble,

Death and bad mistakes,

I found that I was not immune,

To all those old heartbreaks.

In the end I turned to Jesus,

A man of sorrows He,

Who took my every burden,

And every injury.

Gathered all the heavy weight,

And nailed it to the cross,

Took the sadness and despair,

And every single loss.

And said there is no feeling,

That you have ever had,

No matter how heart-breaking,

Terrible or bad,

That I did not take with Me,

Along with every sin,

And by My wounds your healing,

Can immediately begin.

No matter if the valley,

Seems endless and too deep,

My wounds give you the exit,

And joy that you can keep.

The grace to find enjoyment,

And not just to endure,

To overcome life’s trouble,

Of heaven to be sure.

And all because of Jesus,

Who suffered in our place,

To heal us of our sadness,

And see His smiling face.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3, NIV)

We do well to remember that Jesus was a person of joy and laughter. Sinners were attracted to Him and so were little children. That said, He was also a man of sorrows. He literally took the weight of the whole world upon Himself so as to rescue the human race from sin and its effects. Isaiah goes on to say that “by His wounds we are healed.” The wounds of Jesus relieve ours, and the sorrow of Jesus lifts our depression. We do not have to wallow in despair or be overwhelmed with pain. We can be free. Run to the Liberator.

Lord, heals us by Your wounds, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, used by permission. Thanks, Robert, and God bless you.