Read Psalm 56:8

Tears have a language all their own, needing no interpreter. In some mysterious way, our inner-communication system knows its verbal limitations, and the tears come.

Eyes that flashed and sparkled moments before are flooded.

Tears are not self-conscious. They can spring upon us when we are in public or standing beside others who look to us for strength.

Tears may flow during the singing of a majestic hymn or when lost in some nostalgic memory or wrestling in soul-searching prayer.

Did you know that God takes special notice of your tears? Reflect on the words of David:

You keep track of all my sorrows.

You have collected all my tears in your bottle. (Psalm 56:8)

Whatever was going on in David’s life when he penned this psalm had driven him to tears.

A teardrop on earth summons the King of Heaven. Rather than being ashamed or disappointed, the Lord takes note when our hard times are oiled by tears. He turns these situations into moments of tenderness; He never forgets the crises in our lives where tears were shed.

One of the great drawbacks of our society is its reluctance to show tears. For some reason, men feel that tears are a sign of weakness...and many an adult believes that crying is immature. How unfortunate! The consequence is that we place a watchdog named “restraint” before our hearts. This animal is trained to bark, snap, and scare away any unexpected guest who seeks entrance.

The ultimate result is a well-guarded, highly respectable, uninvolved heart surrounded by heavy bars of confinement. Such a structure resembles a prison more than a home where the tender Spirit of Christ resides. David resisted all of that. And he was a man’s man—who felt and embraced the heart of God.

What struggle today has you on the brink of brokenness? You’ll never feel the comforting touch of God’s mercy until you impound restraint and let a little tenderness run loose. He enters all your sorrows—and wants to carry them for you. Remember what the psalmist wrote about our merciful Father? “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears.” Yes, all.

Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.