Learn from your tears.

I love my wife so much. Yet, I know myself, with all my faults, and wonder how she can love me as she does. Tears.

I love being a dad. Tears. Transparent? It was super difficult when both my children got married. I knew they married the person God picked for them. And, I’m very proud to call them my bonus children, not a son or daughter-in-law.

Yet, I teared up at both their weddings out joy for their future and sadness at the loss of them no longer being in my home. I also teared up when I recently was told that I’m going to be a granpapa (my chosen name) for the very first time.

There are even certain themes in my favorite TV show that cause me to choke up. As well as when I see what humans do to each other as a chaplain who goes on patrol with his officers, I can tear up on my way home.

Tears. Do real men and strong women cry? If they are seeking to become more Jesus they will. Life, with both its highs and lows, can bring on the tears. As a man, even Jesus teared up.

Yet, was it over the suffering his friend Lazarus’ death caused his sisters or because He loved Laz so much as some at the tomb thought? Or maybe, was it because He was ticked off at Satan for bringing death into the world, with all its unnecessary pain (John 11:33 – groan and troubled).

There are many causes for tears. We can ask the Spirit, however, to show us what is causing them in order to grow to new levels of knowing and following our Father just as Hezekiah (2 Chron. 25), David (Ps. 6), Asaph (Ps. 80), and Jeremiah (Jer. 9) did.

Life can be joyful and painful, sometimes over the same situation. We can make it about the tears/situation; or, we can learn from and draw closer to Jesus because of them. This is our choice.

As you choose the later, your joy will increase, despite their cause.