The sky turns grey, the rain starts to fall, and for most people the automatic response is to complain. Few really appreciate the rain; most find it inconvenient. I grew up in a farming community where the reaction to rain was rather different because they knew that without rain there couldn’t be growth. The difference in attitude to the rain was the difference in understanding its necessity.
As I look out at the rain running down my window pane, I can’t help but draw the analogy that tears are much the same. Rain isn't negative and neither are tears! Click To Tweet Most people do not like to cry, and, certainly, don’t like others seeing them when they are emotional, yet tears are scientifically proven to make you feel better. We often use the phrase ‘have a good cry’ because even though your eyes may go puffy, your nose turns red and you don’t look your most attractive, crying is good for you!
While science might prove that crying is good for you, we need to remember that God is our designer, He knew we would need a release mechanism to offload our emotions. Psalm 55 paints a picture of the emotional turmoil that David is going through. David knows that when he is walking through difficult situations the best thing is to talk to God. He reminds himself to ‘cast’ all his cares and worries on to God. In Psalm 56 we get another insight into how David coped with difficult situations. David, the warrior, cried. David, who faced Goliath, went through sorrow. David, the hero, often felt like a failure. He had enemies, and he could cope with that, but when his friends betrayed him it hurt him deeply, and he cried. I get the impression from verse 8 that he cried a lot!
Psalm 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? God cares about us when we go through sleepless nights, heartache and pain. If you are in a dark place right now, remember that it’s okay to cry. Just as after the rain growth comes, after your sorrow the sun will come out. Joy will return and you will have grown through the process.
Psalm 126:5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! Click To Tweet
Expect new growth!