Daily Devotional

Have you ever wondered why people cry?  

Maybe you never really thought about it deeply.  But from what we know, humans are the only creatures that weep.  Some animals are capable of shedding tears in response to pain.  But only humans cry as a result of their emotions.  

According to one study, women cry an average of 3.5 times per month and men cry an average of 1.9 times a month.

Someone has said, “Crying is how your body speaks when your mouth can’t explain the emotions you feel.”

When we cry, our bodies release powerful hormones like oxytocin and endorphins that make us feel better.  Crying not only soothes but releases our emotions and gives them expression.  It’s an outlet for the silent symphony of emotion inside of us.

So when was the last time you had a good cry?  

I know men who are proud of the fact that they never cry.  And if they do let a tear slip out, their natural instinct is to wipe it away because they don’t want to appear weak. They’re afraid to be vulnerable and let people see their true condition.  

But God sees our tears.  In fact, Psalm 56:8 reveals that God counts every one of them.  He captures them in a bottle.  He records them in a book.  

Those are two vivid ways of saying that God knows what we’re going through and he’s with us every step of the way.  

Imagine this.  When we get to heaven, God is going to be able to tell us exactly how many tears we shed in our lifetime: tears of laughter, tears of joy, tears of sorrow or physical pain, tears of suffering, tears of mourning, tears poured out for our kids, tears spilled for the lost, tears of gratitude toward God.

Every tear is precious.  And every tear is a reminder that you’re not alone, because the God who gave us tears is present in every drop.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version. Release 2.0, Build 2015.02.09. Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.