Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV
A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.

In the old South, mourning used to be a big deal. No decent Southerner would be sent to the hereafter without a lengthy ceremony and an even more extended period of mourning. Women wore black hats and dresses, swishing the sweltering air with hand-held funeral fans. Men wore black suits and ties. A black wreath was hung on the door of the bereaved family’s home, and all the mirrors were covered in black crepe. Most importantly, folks respected the privacy of families who had suffered loss. Like almost every aspect of modern life, however, send-offs these days are often short and sweet. Friends and family come by to offer covered dishes and sympathy, and those who mourn are expected to bounce back and get o with life, whether they are ready or not. But Jesus understands a broken heart and draws close to those who are hurting. He said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NIV).

Mourning lays a crushing burden of separation upon us, but God lifts our burdens and cradles our hearts.

Pslam 137:2 AMP
On the willow trees in the midst of Babylon we hung our harps

When the kingdom of Judah was taken captive and carried away to Babylon, there were among them many musicians who sought solace through their gifts, praising God near the abundant willow trees on the banks of the waters there. The Babylonians heard their sweet songs and bid the musicians entertain them. But rather than offer sacred songs to men, they hung their harps upon the willows, considering it far better to put their instruments aside than to profane them in the service of idols. The willow branches seemed to weep, drooping under the weight of the harps, much as the hearts of these faithful worshippers. They could have dashed their harps to pieces, but instead the preserved their instruments, because God told them through the prophet Jeremiah precisely when their time of captivity would end (Jeremiah 29:10).

What should you do when faced with a choice like that? Whether you find yourself facing persecutions, trials, or temptations, you may have to make a similar commitment to honor God by laying your harp upon the willows.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 NKJV
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

No doubt you’ve see them. Manes flying, nostrils flaring, wooden horses captured in colorful elegance gallop up and down on a carousel to the delight of children and adults. Traditional European merry-go-rounds turn clockwise, allowing proper equestrians to mount the ornately carved wooden horses from the left. However, Americans are less concerned with proper equestrian form that they are with the opportunity to acquire the much-sought-after brass ring. American carousels were designed in the nineteenth century to travel counter-clockwise, allowing riders to grab for the brass ring with their right hand. Any rider who could reach out and grab the ring was rewarded with a prize — a free ride on the carousel. In time, grabbing the brass ring became a metaphor for success and opportunity.

True success comes from setting goals, learning from mistakes, and strong faith, perseverance, and honest hard work. Those who disdain these elements prefer to ride a carousel seeking worldly success and will grasp for it in vain on an endless circuit. Instead of reaching for a shiny brass ring, let’s reach out to Jesus.

Psalm 31:4 The Message
God met me more than halfway, He freed me from my anxious fears

You most likely came into contact with one as a child: a small, colorful cylinder made of woven bamboo. Instructed by snickering friends to insert your index fingers into each end, you discovered to your dismay that your fingers were now trapped inside. The more you pulled outward, the tighter the aptly named Finger Trap became. After a good laugh your friends told you the secret of breaking free. Instead of pulling in the outward direction, you surrender to the inward direction. The taut cylinder then relaxes and the captive fingers are loosed. Ta-da!!

At times, most of us resort to running away from our problems. But rather that run, we should press in to God. In lieu of tensing up, we should relax and quit fighting so hard to break away in our own strength. We can make the impossible work to our advantage by trusting in the God of the impossible to help us.

Job 28:18 HCSB
Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.

A raw oyster is not much to look at on the outside, but enthusiastic fans of these saltwater mollusks find them delicious with the addition of a little hot sauce, horseradish, and lemon juice. Sometimes a raw oyster even contains an unexpected bonus: a pearl. Natural pearls form as a defense mechanism, an immune response from the little gray creature inside the shell against a potentially threatening irritant. The irritant is covered, layer by layer, with nacre, a mineral substance also known as mother-of-pearl. The very best pearls have a metallic sheen, a mirror-like luster from the many coatings swathed around the irritant. Beautiful luminescent layers smooth over the irritation to make like more comfortable for the little guys, and over time they form a highly sought after treasure from the depths of the waters.

When someone irritates us, we should take a cue from the oyster and cover the person with our prayers. We should coat the rough, unlovable one with our forgiveness and the love of God. And in time, with enough love and patience, the one who irritated us may become a blessing and a comfort to us instead. A precious pearl, a thing of great beauty.

Psalm 91:5-6 NKJV
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

There is a certain breed of domestic goat that is known to faint when startled. At the sound of a loud noise, its hind leg muscles freeze up for about ten seconds and this “fainting goat” collapses on its side like a sack of potatoes!

What happens when the enemy catches you off guard? Are you temporarily paralyzed with fear? Many of us feel like keeling over when troubles suddenly come. We are overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. These are all natural responses, but faith is a supernatural response to these feelings. Believers have a choice — to freeze in fear or flex their faith muscles. Speak His Word over your circumstance. Proclaim the name if Jesus over your fear. Don’t worry about what people think. Instead, open your Bible and find out what God has to say about the situation.

We don’t have to let fear floor us. Let’s take our eyes off our circumstances and look to Christ instead.

Matthew 5:15 NKJV – Let your ight shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

In the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, during a two-week mating period in late spring, a unique species of fireflies is known to synchronize their flashing light patterns. Unlike other species of fireflies that blink their lights randomly, these bioluminescent beauties flicker their individual lights at the same time.

The Bible says that we are to walk as children of light(Ephesians 5:7-14) in a darkened world. The fruit of the light is found in goodness and righteousness and truth. When we live our lives in sync with God’s Word, we shine with Him, and the Light of the World (John 8:12), and we shine to His glory, piercing the darkness of this age.

These special fireflies do not always flash in unison. Sometimes they flash in waves across the midnight hillsides. At other times, they flash together in harmonious short bursts that end in sudden periods of darkness. Sometimes our lives look a lot like that too. But when we set our hearts to love God and one another, we cannot fail to shine.