Dr. Robin Harris Kimbrough
One of the most readily indicators of someone in pain is the sound of that person crying. Physical and emotional pain can start someone crying. At funerals, loss of a football game, or a ‘scraping,’ we have all witnessed someone crying or we may have shed some tears. Contrary to what people think, crying is not gender-specific, both men and women cry. Some of us may try to hold back the tears, but on the inside we are crying.
Another myth is that crying is a sign of weakness. This is not true. Crying is just a sign of being hurt, in pain, or suffering. Crying does not mean that a person is weak. Crying is a sign that someone is on the verge of giving up and losing hope. We have all been in a situation that caused us to weep inwardly and outwardly. But there is good news.
We do not have to shed tears over our situations. Regardless of the pain and hurt we face, Jesus is there to wipe our tears away. We do not have to cry over what others shed tears over—our hope is in the Lord. Suffering will bring about tears. It will bring about heartache and discouragement, but we can never give up on God. Many of us cry over people and situations that are not even worth our tears, e.g.: unhealthy relationships, being let go from a dead end job, or hurt feelings because someone did not agree.
We don’t have to cry over things like this. There is some stuff that really brings tears to our eyes, like death and all types of sorrows. Once we see through our tears, we can see victory on the other side.
The songwriter speaks the truth by saying: “There is a bright side somewhere.” There are some things that we may have cried over in the past; however, our faith and love for Jesus has grown because of our tears and suffering. We have realized that there is no reason to cry.
Revelations confirms that in due time, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away,” Revelations 21:4. When this life passes away, there will be nothing to cry about—no more diseases, sicknesses, disappointments, rejection, letdowns, death. Those things will be passed away.
As we hear the tears of suffering around our world at the hands of ISIS, Ebola, cancer, AIDS, rape, other abuse, and the fear of survival, let us find encouragement and hope that these things will pass away. We don’t have to cry. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and not just in eschatological times. God is doing it right now.
As we lean on his shoulder and shed our tears, his grace and mercy comfort us, wipes the tears from our eyes, and lets us know that everything will be all right. You don’t have to cry.
