Vulnerability can be scary. It’s hard to look someone in the eyes and tell them with transparency how you are doing: the good and bad parts. People want to be there for you and come alongside you to help carry your burdens. As Christians, we are told time and time again in the Bible that we aren’t meant to do life alone. We are a family, the body of believers, bearing with one another.
While on the race, I was forced to face my emotions head-on; when before the race, I would ignore them until they seemed to go away. As I did this, I founder deeper joy as I let myself feel the sadness I previously tucked away. Feeling the pain helped me to experience deeper joy. I learned that the more you feel the ‘negative’ emotions, the more you feel the ‘positive’ ones. That said, feeling those ‘negative’ emotions can still be hard to do. I still find myself ignoring how I’m doing because it’s easier not to feel sad.
One day I was thinking about all of this, and I remembered that the Bible says, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). The perfect Son of God wept. When we feel that expressing our emotions isn’t allowed or is inconvenient, remember that Jesus wept. His heart was moved, and tears came from the eyes of Jesus. What more permission do we need to believe it’s okay to feel sadness and cry?
The example I mentioned in the previous paragraph is from John 11. Jesus comes to the village of Lazarus’ tomb and is met by his sister, who falls at his feet weeping. Jesus saw her grief and weeping, and “he was deeply moved” (11:33). He is brought to his tomb and begins to weep. Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead, and he does; but before he raises him, he weeps. Jesus witnesses the grief of others and weeps with them. Jesus had deep compassion for others and shared in their suffering. Let your heart be moved in the same way that Jesus’ heart was moved. Share in the sufferings of those around you and weep with them. And allow others to be with you in your sorrow. Know that even if you are alone, God weeps with you when you weep. He loves you and is with you in every season and feeling.
We also read of Jesus weeping in Luke 19. As Jesus is coming to Jerusalem, he begins to weep because (1) the people missed the peace that was right in front of them, and (2) the people would face future judgment. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was in their presence, and they missed it. They missed the eternal peace that he had to offer. Jesus also knew the judgment that was going to fall upon Jerusalem. Jesus loves his people and was devastated to know what their future held. Jesus has a heart for people that moves him to tears. Again, let your heart be moved like Jesus’ heart was moved. There are people who have not yet accepted Jesus as Savior, and the same judgment is their future. Jesus wept for these people, and we now have the opportunity to help them encounter the peace and salvation Jesus has to offer them.
Hebrews also mentions Jesus as “[offering] up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death” (5:7). Jesus poured his heart out before God—every emotion he laid at his feet. Jesus prayed with tears streaming down his face. With a heavy heart and raw emotion, he came before the one who loves him more than any other and fully understands him. God is the only one who has walked with us through every second of our lives. He knows every detail of your life because he was there for all of it. He fully understands you as the only one who has been there with you for everything. He understands why you are the way you are and why you feel the things you feel. Bring every emotion before him in prayer, just as Jesus did.
I mentioned that while on the race, I found poetry helpful in processing and organizing my thoughts. It feels vulnerable for me to share, but I wrote a short poem as I thought about Jesus weeping. I thought about it enough to write a blog about it, so I figured it was the perfect opportunity to share the poem I wrote…
Jesus Wept – a poem
We hide how we feel
Run away to cry
Yet Jesus wept
Tears streamed down his face
The perfect son of God
The creator of all
Created feeling beings
Permission is granted
The son of God weeps
He weeps with us
