If it works...

My personal philosophy is that if it works, it was God’s idea. To “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:14) rather than possibly negating another’s feelings by giving advice, bears good fruit (see last post). It works: God thought, said, or did it first.
There’s also this idea to “rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:14), and dwell on the good (refer to all the words on gratitude in previous posts, and verse below). Thinking on the positive begets more positivity.

“Researchers have found that brain chemistry shows ‘mood congruity.’ Because the brain is an associative network, and because our memories record not just specific details of events but also our feelings about them, when the brain is under the influence of one emotion, it habitually makes connections to past events that triggered the same emotional response. When you’re experiencing stress, your brain is more likely to recall stressful memories from your past than it is upbeat ones. When something frightens you, your mind is more likely to become filled with thoughts of other, apparently unrelated threats than it is examples of feeling safe. This is the essence of mood congruity: your memory system tends to serve up recollections of past events that are themselves congruous with your current mood.” – Steven Johnson, P 145-146, Mind Wide Open

I’ve experienced this phenomenon. One example from a few years back: I was waiting for Gregg to come home, not knowing he’d be later than expected, and getting impatient. [I wanted him to walk in and ‘catch’ me working hard - putting away groceries, making supper, attending to the kitchen mess - so he’d see how much I do! Yes, childish, I know].
As I waited, I found myself spiraling into negativity and occupied with thoughts of ways I felt irritated with him, and felt ready to pounce when he finally did walk through the door. Then I caught myself, and remembered what I'd just read about mood congruity: that happy thoughts perpetuated more happy thoughts, and sad perpetuated sad, and discerned that I had a choice about what to think and feel and act. I could prepare myself to be kind rather than nasty by thinking about all the ways I appreciate Gregg, and all the gifts God has provided me.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his holy name…and forget none of His benefits.” Psalm 103:1-2

“…whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, or good repute, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8