Just A Thought

 I have discovered that God heals people’s hearts through processes. Psalm 41:3 says, “The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.” That process can include pain, disappointment, weariness and doubt. Many times it is the process that strengthens one’s faith, because it stretches their faith. 

Rev. Raymond Woodward did youtube presentation in which he shared some this about tears:

Only humans cry. Crying establishes bonds between parents and their children. Tears also express our helplessness, so that others know we are in need. And tears are also evidence of human empathy.

He shared that the human eye produces three types of tears 

1.    basal tears – lubricate and protect our eyes

2.    reflex tears – to protect our eyes in an emergencies

3.    emotional tears – in response to our emotional state. These tears are thicker and more laden with chemicals designed to help us deal with our emotions.

But the most interesting information he shared comes from research done by Maurice Mikkers who studied tears under a microscope. He discovered that no two people’s tears are alike. He has also discovered that each kind of tear has a different landscape to it. For example, a tear of sorrow looks different than tear of fear. (for more information visit: Imaginariumoftears.com) 

The conclusion he drew from his research was that God designed us to cry and that He intended the crying to be a part of the healing process. In other words, crying can have a healing effect. 

I personally do not cry often. Maybe I should learn how to process my feeling more – I don’t know. But I do know that the times in my life when I have cried have been significant and transformative. The most memorable is when I was eleven years old. I had been praying for three years to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I had tried everything... singing, lifting hands, saying Jesus over and over again, but I was at an impasse. 

Then one night as I went to the altar I suddenly had a surge of emotion. From down deep inside me I felt a longing to be close to God. I began to cry and reach out to God, instead of focusing on speaking in tongues. When I finally opened up emotionally, God filled me with the Holy Spirit and I spoke in a language I had not learned. God was waiting for me to love him with my mind, might and heart. I don’t know what kind tears you would call them, but I know they indicated that something amazing was happening deep inside of me.

If you have ever been, or are currently in, a valley of mourning or sorrow, don’t despair. It might be the beginning of a good think in your life. Life brings tears to believers and non-believers alike.  But God ministers to those who express their emotions to Him. In fact, if our times of worship and prayer are unemotional, something is probably wrong. 

Psalm 34:17-18 says, “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Maybe this would be a good time to let God use tears to bring healing to our lives.

# posted by John W. Hanson @ Friday, November 21, 2025