2-27-21 Let It Out
Quote: “Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see life with a clearer view again.” – Alex Tan
Have you ever had a good cry and felt better?
I sure have. Sometimes I start crying and just can’t stop. When I’m all dried out, sometimes I am so physically exhausted that I just pass out and sleep. It takes a lot of energy out of you to get all that out. If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Shack”, one of the characters says this line that I’ve never forgotten: “It does a body good to let the healing waters flow.” We’ve gotta let those things out every once in awhile! It’s so healing!
Have you ever had this happen? I will start crying about something small and my husband will do his best to reassure me that it’s not that big of deal and that everything is going to be okay. Well then it starts snowballing. And all of a sudden I was crying about my plans not going right and now I’m bawling about how my whole life is just a hot mess. He’s standing there thinking, how in the word did something so small turn into something so huge?! This usually happens when I’ve got feelings trapped inside and they have built up over time. Not a very healthy thing to do!
Did you know that there are actually 3 kinds of tears? Basal and reflex tears protect and wash away harmful irritants. But it’s the emotional tears that contain hormones and proteins. They are so important to our body and soul. Research has shown that as we get older, we make fewer tears. So let those tears out while you can!
But you know what else crying does? It lets us see more clearly. Sometimes, deep clarity can come.
When we are in pain, we need to gain perspective. Friends and family can offer support but we must cry out to the one who created us and knows us better than anybody. The Bible says in Psalm 56:8, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Jesus knows your sadness, anger, jealousy, anxiety, and pain. He wants to be a part of it! He wants to be with you in the good and the bad. He feels your pain and wants you to reach out to him to help you. He doesn’t think you are weak for crying. He wept too! In John 11:35, it says simply that, “Jesus wept.” Someone close to him had died. He wasn’t afraid to let those “healing waters flow”. You shouldn’t either.
Often after a good cry, we see things clearer because we’ve let our emotions get out of the way. The stinkin’ thinkin’ that was clouding our minds has been cleared out and we can now focus on what the truth in the situation is. No matter what you are going through, if you are a Christian, you have Heaven someday as your reward to focus on to get you through. The Bible promises us that in Heaven, there is no pain or tears. None. We cry in this world because there is death and sadness and evil. But not there. There, we are free to love and praise Jesus and dance and smile and just be together in our Heavenly home!
Until then, let those tears flow if you need to. It’s healing to let it out. Just don’t live there too long. You’ve got plenty of people on this planet who need you!
