The God who Weeps

John 11:30-35

“³⁰Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. ³¹When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 

³²When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 

³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.³⁴ ‘Where have you laid him?’ He asked.

‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. 

³⁵Jesus wept.”

I don’t know about you, but these verses are so powerful for me right now. 

This year has been difficult, to say the least, for all of us in one way or another. Of course, the pandemic has touched all of our lives in some way. But it seems like so many of us are dealing with increased stress and heartache… At this point, COVID 19 seems to be the icing on the cake for many. I’ve heard so many stories of loved ones’ loss, lost jobs, and financial strain, while also hearing of betrayals, lost relationships, and emerging conflict. In Haiti, we’re dealing with what seems to be the “new normal”: daily stories of kidnapping, protesting, and sporadic gunfire. This is in addition to the constant reality of economic struggle and oppression within the country… For us, COVID-19 has certainly felt like the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

With this increased pressure – these growing trials and difficulties – it’s normal to think that we all may be less than okay. We may find ourselves feeling depressed and anxious. Tears may fall more frequently. We may find ourselves more irritable. And, yes, some may even feel a little bitter about the circumstances they find themselves in.

For those of us who are Christ followers, we often face the temptation to control these painful and dark situations. Or more accurately, we are tempted to control the way those around us view our trials. We push the image of positivity and strength – us smiling through the storm, barely noticing the fires we walk through. We manufacture the story we tell; we talk about the victory, leaving out the walk through the darkness that leads us to the end result. 

Please know I never want to discourage us from focusing on the goodness of God and His redemptive power. He is a good and merciful God, and I firmly believe that He can redeem any dark situation. In fact, His word states that He is working all things together for the good of those following Him (Romans 8:28). I take comfort in these truths! But I believe that when we are so focused on showing the good and positive, when we skip over the darkness we face, we completely miss an important facet of who our God is. We forget a very important character trait that He possesses, on that the suffering world needs right now: He is empathetic. 

I picked this passage in John, where Jesus grieves with Mary and the community over the death of His friend Lazarrus, because it shows the magnitude of the Lord’s ability to understand the emotional weight of a loss or challenge; He wept. Overcome with grief, and saddened by the pain of his friends, He allows the tears to flow freely. He didn’t hide himself away as He cried. No, He allowed those around Him to see His sorrow and pain. He didn’t put up a front of strength. He didn’t urge the community to be positive or look on the bright side. He didn’t attempt to ‘hold it together’. Rather, He allowed Himself to feel the gravity and weight of the loss, and He grieved with those around who were also in suffering. 

How beautiful it is to serve a God who cares for us! How amazing it is that the God who created the heavens and the earth still sees every tear that you and I cry! He doesn’t shy away from our sorrow and pain, and He doesn’t expect us to simply get over it. I don’t know about you, but I find so much freedom in these truths! 

Dear friends, we don’t have to put up a front of false strength. We are allowed to grieve our losses, be saddened by the trials we experience, and even feel frustrated by the situations around us. Our emotions aren’t beyond what our God can comprehend.

I believe right now the world needs us as believers to create more space for people to feel what they’re feeling. Let’s not push people to be positive and “strong” in the midst of their deep sorrow. Let’s stop creating false narratives of positivity in spaces where vast pain has been felt. Instead, let’s meet people where they’re at in their pain. Sit with your friends and family in their tears. Listen to their frustration and fears with a compassionate heart. Offer them the tender love of Jesus… the same love we find in John 11. The expectation that we are to remain strong, composed, and positive at all times is self-inflicted. We have the freedom to grieve and experience frustration in a safe space… why wouldn’t we want to share that with those in suffering?

Gracious God, thank you. Thank you for accepting us in the midst of our ugly-cries and deep frustrations. You are not afraid of our emotions, and You are not afraid of the darkness we face. Father, I pray that in the midst of dark days, your presence surrounds each person reading this like a comforting hug… for you are with us, even in our darkest moments. I praise You for being a God who isn’t afraid of pain, for being a God who weeps. May we hold these truths close to our heart.