Hi friend! I’m so glad you came by, we have so much to talk about…

**********sips coffee, breathes deep, and begins the conversation*************

I’m very blessed to be part of a small group of Christian blogging moms. We meet in a private facebook group and we talk about everything from increasing traffic, where to find images, and how to grow our social media platforms, to much more personal issues like our health, our marriages, and our faith.

Last week I asked this question to my friends in that group:

“Is it OK to cry, out of fear and a sudden rebirth of overwhelming, crushing pain even if you claim to trust God?”

Here are some of the answers I received from women who make it a priority to know and follow God, and to edify and encourage their sisters in Christ.

Each bullet point represents an individual’s response. Indented comments with a (R) are replies to the previous comment.

• God created tears. They are cleansing. As long as in the midst of that fear you cry out to God and ask Him to take your fear and to help bring you peace despite your circumstances.

• Very definitely. So much of the Psalms are that very thing. Crying out to Him, and allowing Him to take that pain and work in it, is the key, I think…rather than allowing it to push you away from Him and become bitter. He knows our hearts. Scripture says that He collects our tears in a bottle. He cares about our tears! He cares about our hurts.

• This C.S. Lewis quote has been on my mind often lately: “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us. We are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” We have seen God’s faithfulness and goodness in so many huge ways over the last 12 years, but we have also realized that so much of what He has shown us of His faithfulness and goodness and glory has come through intense pain. We know that He is always working for our good and His glory, if we are His, but we also know that that sometimes means intense pain and situations that seem utterly unbearable.
  • (R) That quote is exactly what goes though my mind, though I never articulated it that way.
  • (R) I love that Lewis said that. I believe he wrote that when his wife was dying of cancer. I love that someone of his faith put that into words.
  • (R) Yes. Both so we can take comfort in knowing that people of great faith struggle too, and so we can put words to our thoughts.

• We cry, we pour out our pain and fear (and even doubts) to Him, and then we cling for dear life.

• Yes! I was wondering the same things. I’ve been reading through the Psalms and David cries and cries and has all kinds of emotions throughout that whole book. I think it’s important to get that out so that we can heal and hear clearly from God

• God keeps your tears in a bottle, he sees them and cares. Psalm 56:8
  • (R) And the next verse; My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.This I know: God is on my side. So rich! Just what I need to keep reading!
  • (R) But I have to admit, I sometimes wonder; “What does God do with that bottle of our tears?”
• What came to mind when I read this was Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane where it says he sweat blood due to extreme anguish. Jesus knew God’s plan and yet He felt extreme anguish. He fully trusted God. He asked God if He was willing, to take the cup from him (Jesus), but also asked for God’s will to be done over his own request. I think this clearly shows that Jesus felt overwhelmed with what was ahead of him, yet still trusted God.

What are your thoughts on the matter?
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