weeping seeds and joyful sheaves

“Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” Psalms 126:6

Those who go out weeping.

Have you ever gone on about your day, just wanting to cry inside? But there is work to be done, the house is a mess, you have a job, the kids need to get to practice, etc, etc, etc. So you go out. You go on about your day, although you may not be weeping on the outside, inside you go out weeping.

Carrying seed to sow.

I love it when God gives me practical instruction. “If you are going to go out weeping, you better carry some seed”, He speaks to my heart. And He is right. It is so easy when we are feeling a bit dumpy or depressed, to stay locked inside ourselves. To stay locked in the negative pattern of thoughts, it’s just easier. The problem is, it just keeps us stuck in that same negative cycle, day in and day out. One thing I found fascinating when I was studying counseling is that so many theories suggest that one of the best things to do for depression is to have people do something good for someone else. How simple is that?!?! But do we do it?

With Songs of JOY!

Well, it depends. We don’t have to do it. But if we want to return with songs of joy - then maybe we might want to give it a try. When we do things for others it throws a big fat wrench in the negative feedback loop. We mix in a positive with all the negative, and all of the sudden that negative thought train of depression is derailed. If we derail it for long enough, we can develop a new feedback loop. Because when we are doing things for others we can’t help but feel a little joy, and then, they might even do something for us, and all of the sudden we are carrying sheaves and not seeds. Singing songs of joy, no longer weeping. Not songs of denial, not songs of fake plastered on smiles, but songs of joy regardless of our circumstances. How cool is that! I think I will throw a kink in the feedback loop today, how bout you