Sadness is one of the most common human emotions and can be difficult to deal with. The feeling itself brings a burden and often the memory of the event that caused the sadness presses down on our hearts. It's interesting that the Bible talks about both a bad and a good sadness. How are we to know the difference and how are we to deal with each of them?
For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation—and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 GNT)
We may experience sadness due to grief, loss, worries, disappointments, shame or regret, just to name a few factors. Thankfully, God does not leave us on our own to face all this. He comforts and strengthens us in our time of need.
Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5 GNT)
As we look at the wreckage in our past, our own pain and the pain we caused others may cause sadness in our hearts. Recovery groups and programs that are based on God’s word will help us face those events and sort out what we are responsible to make amends for and what we can let go. So many of us have stories of how God changed our sadness to joy when we were willing to repent of our sin and experience the pain associated with dealing with the past. Jesus compared that sadness and joy with the extreme suffering of a woman in birthing a child and the joy experienced when holding that baby in her arms. 
When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffering has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world. (John 16:21 GNT)
God will strengthen us as we come through the sadness of brokenness. Our joy will be complete as we come alongside others to comfort and give them hope.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for being with me in my sadness and for giving me forgiveness and healing and the joy of sharing Your love with others who suffer. Amen
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