No Sorrow Added

Proverbs Daily is a reader-supported publication. All posts are free, but all donations help spread the message. When you see the word “upgrade,” you’re simply invited to help me make the sacred positively contagious...thank you in advance for becoming a free or paid subscriber.Proverbs 10:22“The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”There is a strange irony in this verse.Especially because it’s a favorite in the church.We quote it when things are going our way. When the door opens. When the money comes through. When the blessing looks exactly like we hoped it would.“The Lord has enriched me, and He adds no sorrow with it.”But if you know the Bible, you know Scripture is full of irony.Prisoners writing about freedom.Wanderers singing about promised land.A homeless Palestinian preaching an everlasting Kingdom under Roman occupation.So when Proverbs says God adds no sorrow with His blessing, it almost feels like Scripture is asking us to wrestle.Because Scripture never denies sorrow.Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.Death…precious in God’s sight?That is holy irony.The day this episode is released, I’m on my way to the funeral of my childhood friend’s wife, Tara Hooker.Tara and Louis met as teenagers.Louis was the coolest dude on our block. And when he fell in love with Tara, we all knew it was over.I mean over.We teased him because love has a way of conquering cool any day.Thirty years later, that love is still speaking.Today, it will be saying goodbye. That is sorrowful.And if you are going through grief right now, I don’t want to rush you past that.Some days the blessing hurts because the person mattered.Some days memories heal you and break you in the same breath.Some days faith doesn’t remove the tears. It gives them somewhere holy to go.So yes, Tara was and is a blessing.And yes, there is sorrow now.But the Bible does not deny sorrow.It just refuses to give sorrow the final word.That is what I hear in Proverbs 10:22:“The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”It does not mean blessed people never cry.It does not mean loss does not hurt.It means when God gives a true blessing, the blessing itself does not poison us.It does not leave regret as the final taste.It makes us rich.And Tara made people rich.Her kindness remains.Her laughter remains.Her love remains.The way she shaped her family remains.And yes, today there is sorrow.Sweet. Heavy. Human sorrow.But sorrow is not the addition.Love is.Blessing is.Richness is.Sorrow comes because love was real.But sorrow does not get the final say over what love gave.The sorrow comes and goes.But the blessing stays.🔥 REMEMBERWe grieve deeply because we were blessed richly.🙏🏽 PRAYERGod, help me treasure blessings even when grief is present.🎯 TODAY’S CHALLENGEName one person whose presence made your life richer. If they are here, send a message. If they are gone, say thank you out loud and honor one thing they planted in you.About the AuthorFred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch📱Experience Proverbs Daily by Subscribing!Ready to receive daily wisdom directly on your phone?Go to proverbsdaily.org for the app  or just click that Subscribe button right now!

Get full access to Hey Fred Lynch! at heyfredlynch.substack.com/subscribe