Our Sorrow Has a Purpose~

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."

 

Psalm 126:5

"Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy."

 

I read somewhere once that the Romans had a custom that whenever there was a funeral a friend would go to the one in mourning and wipe away their tears with a cloth and then squeeze the moisture into a small bottle. That bottle was then kept as a precious memorial of friendship and sorrow.

 

I am trying to imagine the tenderness of a moment like this--how thoughtful and comforting.

 

But guess what? Over the years these bottles have been unearthed in ancient Roman tombs and the only thing inside is dust. This doesn't mean the gesture was meaningless at the time it happened. It just means that we humans, in all our human efforts, have limitations.

 

This is why it blesses my heart to know that, (A) The tears that God has collected from me are still fresh, and (B) The more I cry the more joy I will one day have.

 

In other words, not one of your tears has been shed in vain. If you do not see a purpose now, please know, precious one, that at the very least God will turn those tears into joy some day.

 

Oh my goodness! I want to say that one more time. If you do not see a purpose in all the crying you have done, please know, that at the very least God will turn those tears into joy someday!!!

 

That's what these two verses mean. God knows we have sorrow. He is not insensitive to it, but rather in an act of unparalleled kindness He preserves them--perfectly. He is planning on taking every last drop that we have cried for ourselves, our loved ones, our pals, our neighbors, the injustices of the world, the evil--you name it--every last drop and turning them into an abundant harvest of shouts of joy. Amen~

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Thank You that You are paying attention to us. You lovingly collect every single one of our tears, and one day they will be released as joy in our lives! We find it comforting to know that our sorrow has a purpose. In Jesus' name, AMEN~