Tears. What has caused you to shed tears?
Do you hold onto any unshed tears, hoping to hold back the deep emotions that accompany them? Tears come from our depths, our very souls expressing our heart’s emotions.
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Psalm 120:5,6 (KJV)
Our tears are precious to God. He not only sees them, He saves them…..
“..put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book?”
Psalm 56:8 (KJV)
God holds our tears in a bottle, measured. Written, also, in “His book”.
I am not sure what He does with the numbered tears in His bottle, but I know what He measures and weighs, He sees. He counts. They are noticed and numbered. They are recorded and remembered. They are significant, not forgotten. Somehow treasured.
God is always purposeful. Never wasteful. Not accidental. No surprises.
Our tears have purpose in Him who uses all things for His good end. Our tears count!
As Psalm 120:6 records they are “precious seed”. Precious seed in our heart lives. What is sown in tears, shall reap in joy. The harvest, the very fruit, from our heart’s pain is precious to the Lord. He uses it to sow beauty.
He doesn’t waste it, but uses it to fertilize and grow things that matter and produce a rich harvest. God exchanges our ashes for beauty…
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
Isaiah 61:1,3
Only the Lord could accomplish such a feat. It is strange to think of tears sowing joy, just as beauty coming out of ashes is unthinkable. God’s ways, not ours.
Perhaps the places of pain in our life make our soul’s soil fertile for good, true plants in life. Real things, like love, joy, and peace. An essential harvest of the ‘good stuff’, as my Norwegian grandma used to say of her butter and cream filled baked goods.
Redeeming – even our tears. Oh, what a Savior! May God grow in me precious things from my life pain.
“…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Psalm 30:5
*I wish I could say I wrote this while happily sipping a cup of coffee after reading a Psalm. The truth is, I wrote this amidst tears. I went through several years of deep sorrow and many, many tears and during this time I ‘discovered’ the above verses, and I choose to believe them, trusting God that He would redeem even my tears. This article is special to me as it was during this time I began writing, through my tears.
I wish my brother and sister in law could understand this. Their oldest son took his own life on Christmas day 2013. So sad they don’t know Jesus.
Katie – What a unspeakable loss, I have no words. Only God understands. They are in my prayers today…..sandraj
Thank you for sharing this. I guess I never really thought much about what God does with our tears, but I do know that they matter. This is a beautiful reminding us that there won’t always be tears. Beauty will come. Thank you and God bless you.
Gayle – No more tears….not just a shampoo, but a promise for eternity! Thanks much for visiting, I’m heading to your site soon. Blessings, sandraj
Your words are so precious…
(God holds our tears in a bottle, measured. Written, also, in “His book”. I am not sure what He does with the numbered tears in his bottle, but I know what He measures and weighs, He sees. He counts. They are noticed and numbered. They are recorded and remembered. They are significant, not forgotten. Somehow treasured.)
Sometimes I cry, A LOT! Other times, though, I hold it all in. I think I have to be strong so that I am not hurt again. Your words made me feel a freedom to trust God with my sadness in an even deeper way.
I am newly sharing my story of healing from abuse at incrementalhealing.wordpress.com . Sometimes I feel very vulnerable sharing about what happened, but God has been faithful in restoring my brokenness bit by bit, and I long to share the hope and comfort I have found with others. I would love it if you would visit my blog and share your thoughts with me.
Blessings,
Kamea
Kamea – I wish I could share a grace hug with you – filled with the truth that you are truly God’s beloved. I believe God redeems every part of us, even our pain. Thank you for your vulnerability, your sharing on your blog – God’s light is shining through you. sandraj