Cry
"In the moments when torment throbs deep, God doesn’t bark “stiffen that upper lip, girl.” He instead whispers, “Come to Me dear one, come to Me.” He invites us to crumple into the comforting arms of Christ to pray or scream or to beg with abandon until we heal.
Someone dear to me recently shared that while crying about something which saddened them they told themselves crying wouldn't do any good, dried their eyes, and went on. This made me very sad. Who told my loved one crying doesn't do any good? It wasn't God. He said He collects our tears in a bottle and that He dries every tear.“For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He did not hide His face from him, but listened when he cried to Him for help.” {Psalm 22:24}" ~ Angela Nazworth
It was a sad experience for me to learn someone so dear had deprived themselves of the blessed emotional release crying provides. Crying is a gift from God to help keep His children emotionally, and physically, healthy while walking through difficulties on earth. God said in His Word that He collects our tears in a bottle. If tears are bad, why does God collect them? Also, how can He dry our tears if we don't allow ourselves to cry them?
Shame over crying does not come from God. Quite the opposite. Here's a news flash: Real men, cowboys, women, and even mamas all cry. If they don't, they should. Not using this built-in release valve God placed in us can make us hard, brittle, tough, and broken deep within. God desires for His children to remain soft, gentle, and pliable in His loving arms of mercy and grace. We are to be strong in Him allowing His strength to be strong in our weakness. God made us. He created us to cry when sad, grieved, hurting, or overcome by emotions that have no words for expression. Crying is the release valve that allows our souls and bodies to process deep emotion without imploding or exploding. Everyone needs to cry. Some people more than others, but all of us need to cry. Granted, if a person, or child, cries about every little itty bitty thing, yes, alternative techniques for managing emotions can be taught and used, but often, crying is the best, most healthy, thing we can do.
As I was praying through this, what should come into my inbox but an article about grieving. A tiny quote from the article is shared above. It is my prayer that every one of us will allow ourselves to fall into our loving Heavenly Father's arms and cry out all of our hurts and sadnesses. Pulling ourselves together and toughening up are not what He has told us to do. We don't have to keep a stiff upper lip or stuff emotions down deep. Instead, let us follow the example of Hannah and come to Him, pouring out our sorrow in His loving embrace.
The article mentioned above can be read in its entirety at: http://www.incourage.me/2016/09/archive-come-undone-cant-pull-together.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%28in%29courage%20Daily%20Devotion%202016-09-26&utm_term=%28in%29courage%20Daily%20Devotion