Life is tough sometimes, there’s no doubt about it. When pain enters our life or the life of someone we care about we often cry out for relief from the Lord. My Mother’s favorite saying was that through times of trouble and times of pain only time, talk, and tears will help you heal. Some of you are hurting this Christmas Season and not wanting to face the holidays. I understand because I have been there before as well. I want to encourage you that it is okay to cry, to talk about your pain and to spend time away from the hubbub of celebration. I hope this will speak to your heart today.
Healing comes from the Lord and it is important to spend time in the word of God by reading and meditating on what we read in the Bible. Time was created by God for a purpose just as there is purpose to all of creation. Have you ever noticed how it takes time for a baby to grow to an adult or the time involved for the seasons to change each year? Time is necessary for healing too. If you think about physical wounds such as a cut on your finger, only time will heal it and take the sting away. Time is our healing grace.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, (New International Version or NIV).
King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live and this is what he wrote about time. I love it, it is so simple and yet so profound. Time is important for us and sometimes our difficulty comes because we need to stop and notice our Creator and praise Him. Because we live in a fallen world there will always be times of struggle, times of storms ruining our daily lives of bliss but there is a purpose for us as we work through the situation and time cannot be hurried.
We all have been born and so we all have an appointed time to die. What we do with the time between birth and death determines who we are and where we will spend eternity. We can plant or we can uproot. We can kill or we can heal. We can tear down or we can build up. We can weep or we can laugh. We can mourn or we can dance. We can scatter or we can gather. We can embrace or we can refrain. We can search or we can give up. We can throw away or we can keep. We can tear apart or we can mend. We can be silent or we can speak up. We can love or we can hate. We can be at war or we can be at peace. The choices are ours to make but time is involved. I think it is time to stop and think about your situation and the choices of how you plan to handle it.
The second part to healing is to talk about what is troubling you. Talk to God about your conflict, your pain, and your lack of understanding and why you have to go through this trial. Why do you have to be ill and fighting for your life? Why do you have to face this period of mourning and grief? Why do you have to face the death of a child or parent or spouse or marriage? Why? God will hear you and will speak to your heart. Remember that Jesus left the Holy Spirit as a comforter to His followers so let the Holy Spirit comfort you.
Talk to your loved ones to gain support in your struggle because you cannot bear your burdens alone. Talk to your family or your friends and let them help you just by handing you tissues or listening to your pain. Talk to a professional such as a pastor or counselor because they are trained to listen and to help you sort out your feelings and beliefs.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Galatians 6:1-5, (NIV).
Some of the things that happen to us are a direct result of sin, either our own sin or the sins of someone else. We are all fallible so we should all be prepared to help each other by carrying each others burdens. There are times that will come when we simply can’t do it alone and so don’t be so proud that you don’t ask for help. Talk to your brothers and sisters in Christ, you may be surprised to learn that they have been through something similar to you and are the only ones that truly understand your situation. Be available if you see someone who is hurting; be willing to help them carry their burden until they can stand alone once again. And don’t be ashamed of your tears.
Tears are necessary many times in life. Tears are cleansing to the hurting and conflicted soul so let them roll down your face and don’t try to hide them. Tears are an expression of our emotional pain and our physical pain; they are helpful in releasing that pain. Did you know that God keeps an account of your tears? He records every tear you shed.
Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down. Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll —are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. Psalm 56:7-9, (NIV).
How cool is that? Now do you believe me that your tears are acceptable to God so let them roll down your cheek and as some of the other versions of the Bible say, let them go into the bottle that has your name on it. Tears are healing to the soul and oh so necessary sometimes. Don’t be ashamed of your tears, just let them roll and let your hurting soul heal. There’s something I want you to see and to look forward to in heaven concerning tears.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4, (NIV).
Our Master will wipe away all of our tears when He comes as our groom and we His bride. Now that is something to look forward to, isn’t it? We won’t have any use for tears in heaven. There will be no sorrow, no pain, no suffering, no emotional hurting, no tears. I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to that day! Time, talk, and tears. They are all three important to our walk on earth, to our relationship with each other, to the healing of our pain.
My Mother and Dad certainly understood the value of time, talk, and tears. They buried two of their three children and then my Mother buried my Dad and I buried my Mother. No parent should have to bury a child; the pain of loss never leaves the parents. No wonder my Mother relied upon time, talk, and tears. Whatever you are facing right now I hope you can be comforted by understanding the importance of time, talk , and tears. Merry Christmas, even though it may not feel much like a holiday, I still wish you joy.
Until next time…Katherine
Katherine Speaks 