Healing Tears
05/16/24 • 4 min
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READ: PSALMS 6; 42; JOHN 11:1-44
When was the last time you had a good cry? I’m not talking about letting a few tears go and moving on with your day, but an all-out, feels like your heart is breaking, flooding your couch with tears kind of cry. I recently allowed myself to weep like this, and afterward, it occurred to me that it had been months since I had such a cleansing cry. Before the deluge, I felt an aching emptiness. After crying, I felt a great sense of comfort and peace.
David knew all about the healing power of tears. He wasn’t afraid to use the emotions God gave him to maximum capacity. When we read the psalms of David or other Bible passages about his life, we find many times when he wept, whether it be over his friendship with Johnathan, the sickness of his baby, his enemies having the upper hand, or his sorrow over the death of his adult son Absalom (1 Samuel 20:41; 2 Samuel 12:16-23; 18:33; Psalm 6).
In Psalm 56, David wrote that God kept track of all his sorrows, collecting his tears in a bottle and recording each one in His book (verse 8). The knowledge that God cares enough about our sorrows to keep track of them is such a comforting thought. Our emotions and tears are extraordinarily important to the One who created us.
Jesus Himself wept over the death of His friend Lazarus, deeply moved by the grief of others who also loved him (John 11:32-44). Jesus is God, and He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, yet in His humanity He took the time to weep and share in the sorrows of those around Him. And, when His own death was drawing near, Jesus said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” even though He knew that He would rise again three days later (Matthew 26:37-38; Mark 14:32-34).
If you know Jesus, you have a promise that one day He will raise you from the dead too, and wipe away all your tears (Revelation 21:4). While weeping may remain for much of life here on earth, God promises that joy will come (Psalm 30:5). When circumstances feel hopeless, you can cling to His promises and rest in the One who cares so much for you that He records your every tear. • Savannah Coleman
• When was the last time you allowed yourself space to process your feelings with tears, whether tears of anger, sorrow, or joy? Consider setting aside some time for this, and ask God to give you the courage to follow His example and utilize the good gift He has given you in tears.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT)
READ: PSALMS 6; 42; JOHN 11:1-44
When was the last time you had a good cry? I’m not talking about letting a few tears go and moving on with your day, but an all-out, feels like your heart is breaking, flooding your couch with tears kind of cry. I recently allowed myself to weep like this, and afterward, it occurred to me that it had been months since I had such a cleansing cry. Before the deluge, I felt an aching emptiness. After crying, I felt a great sense of comfort and peace.
David knew all about the healing power of tears. He wasn’t afraid to use the emotions God gave him to maximum capacity. When we read the psalms of David or other Bible passages about his life, we find many times when he wept, whether it be over his friendship with Johnathan, the sickness of his baby, his enemies having the upper hand, or his sorrow over the death of his adult son Absalom (1 Samuel 20:41; 2 Samuel 12:16-23; 18:33; Psalm 6).
In Psalm 56, David wrote that God kept track of all his sorrows, collecting his tears in a bottle and recording each one in His book (verse 8). The knowledge that God cares enough about our sorrows to keep track of them is such a comforting thought. Our emotions and tears are extraordinarily important to the One who created us.
Jesus Himself wept over the death of His friend Lazarus, deeply moved by the grief of others who also loved him (John 11:32-44). Jesus is God, and He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, yet in His humanity He took the time to weep and share in the sorrows of those around Him. And, when His own death was drawing near, Jesus said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” even though He knew that He would rise again three days later (Matthew 26:37-38; Mark 14:32-34).
If you know Jesus, you have a promise that one day He will raise you from the dead too, and wipe away all your tears (Revelation 21:4). While weeping may remain for much of life here on earth, God promises that joy will come (Psalm 30:5). When circumstances feel hopeless, you can cling to His promises and rest in the One who cares so much for you that He records your every tear. • Savannah Coleman
• When was the last time you allowed yourself space to process your feelings with tears, whether tears of anger, sorrow, or joy? Consider setting aside some time for this, and ask God to give you the courage to follow His example and utilize the good gift He has given you in tears.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT)
Previous Episode
Healing Tears
READ: PSALMS 6; 42; JOHN 11:1-44
When was the last time you had a good cry? I’m not talking about letting a few tears go and moving on with your day, but an all-out, feels like your heart is breaking, flooding your couch with tears kind of cry. I recently allowed myself to weep like this, and afterward, it occurred to me that it had been months since I had such a cleansing cry. Before the deluge, I felt an aching emptiness. After crying, I felt a great sense of comfort and peace.
David knew all about the healing power of tears. He wasn’t afraid to use the emotions God gave him to maximum capacity. When we read the psalms of David or other Bible passages about his life, we find many times when he wept, whether it be over his friendship with Johnathan, the sickness of his baby, his enemies having the upper hand, or his sorrow over the death of his adult son Absalom (1 Samuel 20:41; 2 Samuel 12:16-23; 18:33; Psalm 6).
In Psalm 56, David wrote that God kept track of all his sorrows, collecting his tears in a bottle and recording each one in His book (verse 8). The knowledge that God cares enough about our sorrows to keep track of them is such a comforting thought. Our emotions and tears are extraordinarily important to the One who created us.
Jesus Himself wept over the death of His friend Lazarus, deeply moved by the grief of others who also loved him (John 11:32-44). Jesus is God, and He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, yet in His humanity He took the time to weep and share in the sorrows of those around Him. And, when His own death was drawing near, Jesus said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” even though He knew that He would rise again three days later (Matthew 26:37-38; Mark 14:32-34).
If you know Jesus, you have a promise that one day He will raise you from the dead too, and wipe away all your tears (Revelation 21:4). While weeping may remain for much of life here on earth, God promises that joy will come (Psalm 30:5). When circumstances feel hopeless, you can cling to His promises and rest in the One who cares so much for you that He records your every tear. • Savannah Coleman
• When was the last time you allowed yourself space to process your feelings with tears, whether tears of anger, sorrow, or joy? Consider setting aside some time for this, and ask God to give you the courage to follow His example and utilize the good gift He has given you in tears.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT)
Next Episode
Sugar and Salt
READ: ROMANS 8:1; HEBREWS 4:14-16; 1 JOHN 1:8–2:2
I’d just arrived in a new-to-me country on the other side of the world. I had left a sweltering summer in Florida, where I lived...and landed in a blustery New Zealand winter to begin a year of ministry. A missionary couple offered their home for my first few days there. When I trudged into their house, I wanted nothing more than a cup of hot tea. After getting my tea just right, I spotted what I assumed to be a tiny sugar bowl near the stove. I spooned some sugar into my cup and took the first delightful sip. Only my tea wasn’t delightful; it was dismal. I’d mistakenly added salt, not sugar. It was a mistake I never made again at this family’s house.
Some errors are harder to leave behind, though. There are days when I’ve found myself doing the same wrong things over and over, such as doubting God’s goodness or acting out of fear instead of faith. It can lead me to wonder in disappointment—when will I learn?
Sometimes our sins surprise us, like a mouthful of salty tea, but God isn’t ever surprised by our sin. He knows everything we do, think, or say, and He knows that we’ll all struggle with sin until Jesus returns. So, until that day, God’s instructions to His people are not to hide our sins, but rather to acknowledge those wrongdoings to Him. We don’t need to be afraid to come to God with our sins, because being God’s people means we have received forgiveness from sin and entered a relationship with Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, when we confess our sins to God, we experience reminders of His lovingkindness: that Christ took the penalty for our sin on Himself, and we don’t face that any longer (1 Peter 2:24).
That evening in New Zealand, I could have chosen to try to hide my mistake and drink salty tea. Instead, I poured it out and started fresh. God gives us fresh starts, too. In Jesus, we’re free from condemnation. Through faith in what Jesus has done for us, we are freely accepted by Him, and free to take new steps of obedience even after we fail. • Allison Wilson Lee
• When do you find it difficult to confess your sin to God? How could it be encouraging to remember that God is never surprised by our sin? He calls us to confess our sins to Him often. Even though we’re not even aware of all our sins (Psalm 19:12-14), it’s so good to come to Jesus in our weakness and rest in His forgiveness and in the Spirit’s power to help us move forward in love (Galatians 5:13-16). Consider taking a moment to confess any sins that come to mind.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus... Romans 8:1 (NIV)
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