by Gail Gritts
TEARS
“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Psalm 56:8
This is another of my favourite Scriptures. God keeps my tears in His bottle. He stores them up. They are precious and valuable to Him.
Shedding tears is not something most of us relish. We associate them with pain and disappointment. That is true is so many instances, but tears are also the sign of a tender heart. Psalm 51:17 says, “a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” God knows that our hearts will break. He even desires that our hearts be broken for Him. Tears are a natural product of a broken heart.
Tears are also a release. Nervous tension along with negative chemicals and toxic substances from our bodies can be released as the tears flow. I have known times when I knew I just needed to get to a quiet and private place to simply shed a few tears, be alone with the Lord, and regain focus and strength. Holding back tears only increases tension.
If you do a bit of study on tears you will find that it is one of the things that makes us truly human. 77% of crying takes place in the home. 15% at work or in the car. 40% of people weep alone. 88% feel better after a cry. The average woman cries 47 times each year. The average man has only 7 crying episodes per year.
No matter what your pattern for crying, it is a God-given quality and one that God is not ashamed of – so neither should you be. God sees your tears; he stores them up and records them. They have a God-given purpose.