I cry easily. Sad movies, lost pets, even happy endings for people who almost lost each other – all can trigger my tears. Of course, I cry when I’m sad or even very angry. Unfortunately, I even cry when my heart is full of joy – tears of joy they are called, but I’d rather only the smile showed and not the tears. While I’m not one of these people who’s on cloud nine one minute and down in a deep pit the next, still I don’t know what to do about these tears.
Long ago one of our sons had done some little job, since he was way too young to work, and earned some money – not much but a little. A day or two later, after someone took him to the store without my knowing it, he surprised me with a little covered tablet. “Thank you so much” I said with a big hug and squeeze. Then I started crying. He gave me such a look of misunderstanding. I tried to explain to him that I loved him and his gift. His sacrificial love for me brought tears of blessing and joy. Probably it was a long time before he could ever understand such a concept, even though I tried to explain myself.
When I think of all my heavenly Father has done for me, I feel the same way and again the tears flow. Not that my life hasn’t had normal ups and downs, but overall, I’ve been immensely blessed. I’ve loved God and known He’s loved me my whole life and that’s a huge store of wealth. Although I haven’t always served the Lord with all my heart, that deep-down security remained as well as a pulling to grow closer to Him.
As I sang praises in church on Easter Sunday morning and thought of all my Daddy-God has done for me, once again my heart overflowed through my eyes – tears of appreciation, gratitude and joy. Since there are no more tears in heaven, I’ll be able to thank God without them. Until then, I’m glad I can express my tremendous gratitude for so many blessings.
Tears of gratitude occur in the New Testament twice. In Mark 9:17-27 is the story of the man whose son was deaf and dumb. Jesus told the father, “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Verses 23-24, NKJV).
In Luke 7:37-38: Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits (Psalm 103:1-2).
Daily God 
Hi Sandra,
I cry easily too, since I opened myself to feeling my feelings decades ago. I feel it’s especially helpful for a man to show his feelings to others, and especially through what could be called tear-ing, rather than crying. Tearing in that sense is quite different from crying. Tears are a way the body can release emotions. They’re very cathartic for humans.
As a man, I believe it sends a strong message to others that a man can be caring and notice things that “move one to tears,” especially since men are so often characterized as brutal and uncaring. There may be no more tears of sorrow in Heaven, but I suspect there’ll still be tears of joy there, of all places, where the wonder is greater than ever it was on earth.
Since most people have been programmed by society to not allow themselves to express their deep feelings, I feel it’s a way of testimony to allow ourselves to express our caring through tears. I’ve often sat in a church service with tears slowing flowing down my cheeks. I suspect it made those who could see consider what they might be missing that I was able to see. I believe it’s a silent testimony that can help to melt hardened hearts, or at least make them wonder.
Blessings always,
Charles
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