WHY BOTHER CRYING!

They did not cry out to Me with their heart when they wailed upon their beds. Hosea 7:14 

Is God compassionate?  And is He moved enough by my pain to alleviate it? Yes, but perhaps not right away.  My hope is deferred more often than not.  But, oftentimes, God waits to see what kind of tears I’ll cry.  Before you conclude that I am maligning God’s character, consider today’s scripture with me. 

I live in a world that is governed by the laws of sowing and reaping. Whatever I sow will generate consequences. If I live righteously, there will be blessing. If I sin, there will be painful repercussions. Given enough pain, tears will begin to fall and they’ll reflect many emotions.  They may be angry.  

Many times, I was mad at God for letting me down, or so I thought at the time.  Tears were rooted in self-pity. I wanted God’s sympathy for my plight though my choices dictated it. The fact that I cried about it was not what was most important to God.  Believers and unbelievers alike, weep when their discomfort is great. 

God’s issue with Israel was that their tears did not cause them to seek Him. The reason for their weeping was to get relief, not restoration with the One they had sinned against. 

Obviously, all pain is not self-inflicted. But sometimes it is. It’s the kind generated by rebellion.  God is most concerned about our heart’s response.  He longs to bless us, longs to restore, but He can’t do that without a child who humbly cries out for His help. Hot, angry tears against our prison bars, or even against ourselves, are not the kind that unlocks doors to a new beginning. 

“Why are you crying?”  That’s what You ask Your child.  And if it’s because of disobedience, may I answer like this ~ “Because I hurt You by what I did.” Amen