A sad face is good for the heart

It’s not often that you hear a talk at church on “A sad face is good for the heart”. This wisdom was penned by the writer of Ecclesiastes. You can find it in Chapter 7, verse 3. It is a timely passage as given the terrible increase in gendered violence in Australia in 2024. May is Family and Domestic Violence Protection Month, yet we are faced with the tragedy of a terrible start to 2024. Lifeline reported the highest number of interactions ever on 28 April, and they attributed that to people feeling heartbroken as they grapple with a huge rise in family and domestic violence deaths. It is appropriate for us to have a sad face as we consider family and domestic violence in Australia, not to mention local and world issues that concern us. God does not expect us to have a happy face all the time. He doesn’t himself. He is upset with the brokenness of the world; he is working to a restoration of all things good via the Lord Jesus. In the meantime, we grieve. We pray and we love. We share our concerns with people we trust. It is wise to seek professional help when the emotional load and fears become too much to deal with. These tragic events can also bring back past trauma to our minds, and it is good to deal with that. Hope Christian Counselling is ready to listen compassionately to your concerns and to help you find a healthy way to cope. Please reach out to our team if you would like further information or support. If you are imminent danger or in need of crisis care, please reach out to the following services.

1800RESPECT 1800 737 732

DV HOTLINE 1800 656 463

IN EMERGENCIES, PLEASE CALL 000