What I Do When I'm Sad

A while ago I listened to a speech given by Harold Kushner, a rabbi from Massachusetts, in 1994 at BYU. It was a really good talk. He talked about why we need God. Near the end he talked about the difference between those who believe in God and those who don't.

He said the difference is not who is a better person. He has known many atheists who were good people. The difference is this:

"When we have both spent ourselves doing the good things we believe in, when we have both exhausted ourselves working for world peace and for understanding between the races and the faiths, when we have knocked ourselves out drying the tears of the bereaved and holding the hands of the faithful and we are just too tired to do it any longer, I have a God to whom I can turn who renews my faith so I can run and not grow weary, so I can walk and not feel faint. The atheist can only look deeper inside himself, and sooner or later he will run dry. The difference is that when we both want to do good and we are tired and we are spent and we are exhausted, there is a God who replenishes my strength so I can keep on going."

That spoke to me. God is where I go for help. When I'm disappointed, worried, afraid, sad, despairing, or feeling some other challenging emotion, I pray. I pour out my soul to God and I pay attention to the thoughts that come to my mind which I believe is how God speaks to me. My problems don't go away but I feel better. I am reminded of other perspectives. I have thoughts that remind me of other people's challenges that are bigger than my own. I am able to get out of my head and shake the dark mood that I had. The thoughts are frequently not brand new ideas but they are reminders of things I need to do to overcome my self-absorption.

God is my strength and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to pray.

Here is a picture of my SIL, nephew and husband. The SIL and nephew came to see my MIL who is quite ill.

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