Tears

Lately I find myself on the verge of tears.

Heart-wrenching, gut clinching tears.

Not simply sadness.

Not simply joy or thankfulness.

It’s the overwhelming flood of the emotion that comes with the recognition of how small I am in the world.

And how great.

Tears sometimes roll down my cheeks in an unwelcome surprise and then I laugh because I just can’t figure out what to do with them.

Life itself is so precious right now. Not that it hasn’t always been, but it seems that the normal everyday folks that I meet-friend and stranger alike-seem to sigh more. We’ll be in a conversation and suddenly, they’ll let out a heavy sigh. Sometimes we do it together. It’s like seeing someone yawn and then finding your own mouth open.

There’s a breath there. A moment when a portion of what we go through-whether positive or negative-is released back into the world because we must let it go to allow another emotion in.

It’s a heavy time we’re in. But truthfully, it’s always been a heavy time if you think about it. There will always be challenges in living in a broken world.

Earth is not our true home. We are only visitors here. But because we’ve been here so long, we forget what it was like to live in our Father’s house. Sometimes the burdens of life can be too much.

It’s like when you’ve been out of your parents’ house for a while. You’re used to it. You like it. Mostly.

But sometimes you yearn for the time when you were young and your folks took care of everything and you had no idea what it took to maintain the roof over your head.

But there’s joy in tears as well. Joy that can sometimes come with guilt because of the recognition that others are suffering. But that just speaks of a compassionate heart. And it’s okay to be joyful amid tears. Joy is easily shared and believe it or not, the people who are suffering want you to share a bit of your joy with them-even for a moment- so that they can bear the pain of their circumstances. Don’t be afraid to give them a bit of laughter, a smile, a hug.

We are small in the world, but great in our capacity for joy.

Even through tears.

 

Philippians 2:1-2 (RSV)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Blessings!

Sharon