Healing Tears

"O Lord My God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me."  Psalm 30:2 (NIV)

It has happened to me before.  Events of my life take place.  The stress and anxiety is great.  I pray and pray, wondering if God has heard me.  I struggle and try to solve things myself.  Does any of this sound familiar to you?  Have you been stuck in a spot of your life where you are wondering if God is listening?

As I was going through the struggles of cancer treatment, I prayed.  I talked to God on such a different level than I ever had before.  I knew He knew what was going on in my heart, my head and my body.  Yet, it didn't seem as if things were getting better.  The chemo was creating havoc with my body.  The stress of cancer and having to be mom and wife was great.  I cried to my Lord almost every day.  Then, it happened.   On a rock on Jackson Falls.  The tears started.  They flowed as hard and long as the water on the falls.  Through the tears came the real healing, the feeling of peace I was yearning for.  Healing Tears.

Just last week, I was there again.  This time, it was in this beautiful chapel at a hospital where my mom had just come out of surgery.  The stress of the previous months had taken its toll.  The constant prayers for mom's healing were continuous throughout the day.  Bring in the constant pressures of work and, well, I'm sure you can figure out the rest.  Then, it happened again.  I am having a turkey sandwich in the cafeteria and I felt the same welling up of emotion.  I practically ran to this empty chapel and God and I talked, and once again, there were Healing Tears.

There is so much happening in our world today.  So much that we question God on why He would let these events occur.  Whether they are personal to us or our families or whether they span the world, the question of "why" remains.  Sometimes, God gives us glimpses of the answer.  Other times, we will wait until we see Him in heaven.  The best part, though, is that He does provide the healing when the tears are flowing.  He holds His loving arms around us, hugs us, and lets us know that peace is coming.  

As we all face these times in our lives, I encourage you to let the crying to begin.  God knows your heart, let Him see your tears.  In doing so, we pour out our emotional baggage and become filled with emotional peace.  I can't speak for you, but I'll take peace over baggage any day.  Find that special spot where it all makes sense.  It doesn't have to be a beautiful spot in nature or a chapel.  I've had such experiences in the shower in my home.  It's wherever we release and find relief.  

Dearest God, how I thank you that I can come to you with my tears and you provide the healing.  May I be confident in the knowing that you are a few tears away.  Take my baggage from me Jesus, and replace it with your precious peace.  In your gracious name I pray.  Amen!