
The Bible tells us to ‘Rejoice always’ which implies that God expects us to be joyful even when we’re suffering and in pain. Does this mean that sadness is a sin?
If you suffered a lot of trauma or stress in childhood, then the neuropathways in your brain to allow for joy, just don’t exist.
This suggests that sadness is not a sin but it does contract the instruction to rejoice.
So today, I wanted to look at what the Bible means when it asks us to rejoice. I’ll consider whether sadness is a sin. and then I’ll make some suggestions to help in this area.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thess 5:16 – 18
This verse challenged me during the first few years of illness. Rejoicing was the last thing I felt like doing.
I even felt very condemned because I just couldn’t feel joy. My life had been ripped apart.
In church life, I sometimes feel there is a certain expectation to be happy all the time which doesn’t help.