Rejoicing With Those Who Rejoice

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.


Unfortunately, I am the kind of person who gets a little jealous when someone else gets something I desire – a new car, a new house, the list could go on. But God has really been convicting me on this one!

When we talk about a good friend, we often talk about how they were there for us during a difficult time, and that is great. God tells us to mourn with those who mourn, and someone who will stick by our side when we are needy and clingy, is an awesome friend indeed. But don’t you have to admit that it’s pretty easy to feel bad for someone in their loss, whether it’s a parent, a spouse, or even a job, or a house? It’s relatively easy to feel their pain – we just imagine what it would be like to be going through their pain.

Rejoicing with them during the good times, however, tends to be another story altogether, doesn’t it? We are in a society where we are constantly working for bigger, better, more. So, when someone else gets something we desire, that jealousy wells up in us, and the rejoicing just drains out the bottom. I believe that this can be the true test of friendship – if we have a friend that is truly excited for us, even if it is something they would desire, then we have a true friend indeed.

I find it helps to think on all the times when I was on the receiving end of a great opportunity, or new house, or whatever, and I think about how I desire for my friends to rejoice with me, because I was given something great, something I’m excited about. How hurtful it must be when I let the little green monster get the better of me! I would imagine that it takes away from the joy of my friend, and I don’t want that. Do you?

Let’s work to be good friends! When something great happens to someone we know, let’s truly rejoice with them, praising God for His wonderful generosity, and love, that He would grant us so many wonderful things!