Realize that it is at our weakest moments that the enemy will try his hardest to talk us out of what we already know. Most people will leave the church or faith during times of severe testing. During times of severe strife. During times when they are hurt personally. The enemy will stop at nothing to derail the plan of God for your life. Do not even entertain the conversation. Sit in your spiritual sackcloth and reflect to the comforter. He will guide you to remain in the truth you already know.
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
A wise proverb reminding us that the amount of friends we may have does not necessarily equal wisdom. It depends on what they are telling you. The Comforter will always tell you the truth of Jesus Christ and direct you back to God. He sticks closer than a brother. That is what we need to rely on when we are mourning.
The second use for sackcloth in the Bible was when prophets wished to convey a deep sense of worry or distress.
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. Esther 4:1
Reverend James McDonald described this as a message from the prophet saying: "I want you listening to my voice! What I look like is nothing but what I am saying is everything!" In modern western Christianity, the office of prophet is abused. People want the title without the sacrifice. Read the prophets from the Bible and you will not aspire to this office. Their message was usually not received well. It was a message to the people of God and it usually required their repentance. Just as we would put on our spiritual sackcloth for challenges within our own walk, we also need to do so for challenges facing the people of God the body of Christ. My Pastor likes to remind us that it is not all about us! Christianity can become very selfish if we are not careful. Sometimes it seems that some people feel as if they are doing a favor for the church by attending. Others will make decisions about where to attend based upon matters of convenience such as making sure their service times do not conflict with the football game or what the parking situation is. It should not be so.
Just as the first reason for putting on our spiritual sackcloth was related to our personal walk, this reason is related to the church as a whole. We are not alone in our walk beloved. We are part of the body of Christ:
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1Corinthians 12: 25-26
