The Artisan Post

“And the paradox is this: at the heart of this newborn personality is joy; yet the joy is ushered in by tears.”

David Wilkerson

Tears have often been considered as showing our weakness, or a not being ‘tough enough’. I grew up where the men weren’t supposed to cry, never mind weep…not even when someone died.

Then I turned 15 and my grandpa died. That changed everything and I cried my eyes out. And my aunt came up to me and told me it was ok… and I could just cry in her arms. And I did. It didn’t make all the pain go away, but it certainly played a part in grieving.

That was where refreshing change began.

And I have shed many tears since. Tears of joy, sadness, depression, hurt, frustration, pain…many tears. And I let the tears out. It’s good to cry. Just Google it. You’ll see scientific and medical evidence that crying relieves stress and plays a part in healing. Tears also represent change.

I just finished reading The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson. It’s a great read, I highly recommend it. I was really struck by Pastor David’s short reflection made about tears, about mid-way the book. He certainly had experienced many tears – his and others – in the work he did in the drug-laden neighbourhoods of New York city.

How David writes about tears resonated with me and I thought to share it (below).

Over the last number of weeks I’ve had some health setbacks and surgery and I have shed many tears. And they have been refreshing and needed.

Wherever you are at today, if you have held back tears…let them flow. Let them out. Be refreshed and renewed.

If you have shed tears, or maybe you still are, be blessed and enriched. Maybe find someone to cry with. My wife has been a rock in this for me. And remember you can take your tears in any situation to God.

If you know the God who made us, you’ll know He collects all our tears in a bottle, recording them in his book (Psalm 56:8). God cares. Jesus, who is God-in-person, when He came to earth also shed tears…we have this God who empathizes with us. We have a God who knows us better than we know ourselves. Therefore we can trust His leading, His changing us through the tears.

If you do not know God, come and meet this God who stepped into the pain and suffering and tears of this life to do something about it, for those who acknowledge Him….especially through the tears.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Jesus, in the Beatitudes, Matthew 5

Here’s the reflection from David Wilkerson. Be blessed, be lifted up, even in the weeping.

“I knew from my work in the church how important a role tears play in making a man whole.

I think I could almost put it down as a rule that the touch of God is marked by tears. When we finally let the Holy Spirit into our innermost sanctuary the reaction is to cry.

I have seen it happen again and again. Deep soul-shaking tears… weeping rather than crying. It comes when the last barrier is down and you surrender yourself to health and to wholeness. 

And when it does come, it ushers forth such a new personality that from the days of Christ on, the experience has been spoken of as a birth. 

‘You must be born again.’ said Jesus. 

And the paradox is this: at the heart of this newborn personality is joy; yet the joy is ushered in by tears.”