"Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us." – Ecclesiastes 7:3
All of us want to enjoy good times, but what we often fail to realise that good times dull our discernment of things, whereas bad times often make us think and learn important lessons in life. God knows this so well that He allows a mix of both good and bad times in our lives so that we will grow in Him.
Benefiting From Sorrow
All of us don't want to feel sadness or sorrow in any of its forms. We all want to be happy, feel joyful, and have fun in life. No matter how unwanted bad times are, it's in these down moments that we get to learn many of the lessons that we value over time.
Consider what Moses said in Psalm 90:12, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Consider also what the teacher said in Ecclesiastes 7:4, "A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time."
Knowing this, we should have realised that bad times allow us to grow in wisdom.
What About Good Times?
"What about good times?" you ask. Good question. Although they are effective in helping us enjoy life and become motivated, an excess of good times will surely dull our discernment. Not convinced? Here are some ways good times dull our discernment.
1. They Steer Us Away from Reality
Celebrating good times all the time often steer us away from reality. People who desire to only experience happiness, fun, and enjoyment will always avoid sadness, problems, and confrontations that lead to solving issues.
As such, constant good times will make us blind to what we should see: the reality that life isn't all about having fun. Remember what Ecclesiastes 7:4 tells us: "A fool thinks only about having a good time."
2. They Make Us Let Ourselves Loose
True enough, having too much "good time" will make us want more of it. In the end, we let ourselves loose and live without purpose.
Consider the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-20. He became rich, and instead of doing what is right, decided to sit back, relax, and be merry with all that he had stored up for himself. Sadly, he died that very night, without even having a relationship with God.
Friends, if we constantly dream of just having a good time, we will never be able to obey God and prioritise our relationship with Him. Our lives will be meaningless.
3. Discernment Grows in Both Good and Bad Times
Hebrews 5:14 tells us that "discernment" is "trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." Good times alone will never be able to train and build up our discernment.
Consider this scenario: A young child grows up spoiled by his rich parents. He grows up getting what he wants, sees his parents treat servants harshly, and is never disciplined. When that child grows up, will he automatically have discipline over his thoughts, habits, and words? Very unlikely.
In the same way, good times encourage our lack of concern for real issues; make us forget that our life is short and is supposed to be for God, and does not allow for training of discernment.
Friends, don't forbid yourselves from enjoying all that God has given you. Just don't forget that bad times refine us and grows our discernment.
