When our tears overtake us at the drop of a hat, we immediately think of ourselves as weak or lacking faith. Tears are an outlet. They are a blessed gift from God, designed within us to provide moisture for the eyes. They can cleanse the eye of a foreign object. They can release a ton of emotional stress. They are a necessary part of our chemical makeup and I thank God for them every day. It has been nine months of hospital visits, waiting for hours in an ER, watching others who are in severe pain longing for assistance but having to wait their turn. Going through six emergency surgeries only to have to return for more. Dealing with anesthetic each time. No answers. No solutions. No wonder there are tears.

When you go through any kind of medical issue your whole world turns upside down. It isn’t just your life that’s affected. Those who love you, who live under the same roof, family, friends, fellow Christians are at the ready with sincere prayers, but still the tears fall. Sometimes they are uncontrollable. Sometimes necessary for the healing process. Isn’t it amazing to know that God is aware of each of those tears. He has even stored them in a bottle. When we get to the point of tears, we are close to a breaking point – wanting the suffering to end – praying for solutions – wondering if our faith is strong enough. When it seems that the end will never come, we can be sure that God knows. He is with us. He walks with us through each step of our existence. He, the King of Creation, is our friend, our confidante, our Redeemer. When we get to that breaking point, He is the One who loves us unconditionally. He will intercede. His will is always good, but we also need His strength to accept it.

After our morning devotion today, we shared some tears as we prayed and hugged each other. The tears were genuine – but for both of us, humor always helps in tough situations. Paul started to sing, “There’s a Place for us,” from West Side Story. I started to laugh and said, “Oh, no, something is really wrong. You’re singing show tunes!” We both began to laugh as the tears vanished. It’s really true. “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.”