The key to the difference between commands to rejoice and commands to mourn is this:
In what/whom are you rejoicing?
In what/whom are you mourning?
There is a good, healthy, appropriate mourning:
-over coming judgment
-over the effects of your own or others' sin
-over the effects of the fall: loss, a world that is "not the way it's supposed to be"
-feeling with the griefs of others
-because Jesus is not 'here' (present on the earth) with us now
Yet there is also great reason to rejoice:
-in all He has done
-because He is trustworthy
-because of our future hope: He will make all things well!
-because it is good for His children to do!
-because it demonstrates who He is to the nations
-because it blesses Him when we do!
So, what are you sorrowing in? What are you rejoicing in? He has made both sorrow and rejoicing, to lead our hearts to Him.
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