"Care"
When you know you cannot do it,
And you really see no way,
And you’re fighting for survival,
To get through another day.
There are well-meaning people,
Who’ll quote to you the Book,
They promise that they’re sayin’ prayers,
But you’re too tired to look.
Please don’t think they don’t care,
‘Cause truth is that they do,
They just may not know what to say,
To a wounded one like you.
But don’t hold that against ‘em,
They’re doin’ what they’re taught,
And you will get the strength you need,
But not the way you thought.
It will come straight from Jesus,
His Spirit coming close,
You will feel the healing,
That you need the most.
But then try to remember,
What others said to you,
When you were going through it,
Find something else to do.
Maybe a caring presence,
Just let them know you’re there,
But easy on the answers,
Enough to show you care.
Know God has a bottle,
Where He has stored your tears,
It goes far back a long way,
And to your early years.
And just so every often,
He’ll open it and pour,
So you can use the tears you cried,
To cleanse and heal some more.
Nothing’s ever wasted,
In all that we go through,
The greatest ever heartbreak,
He will use, it’s true.
“You have collected all my tears in Your bottle…” (Psalm 56:8, NLT)
God knows. God sees. We are not alone, no matter how we feel. When we are at our lowest, sometimes people try to help with words that really don’t. They can come across as judgmental or patronizing or just plain ignorant of our feelings. But ultimately it’s not what anyone else says that matters, but what the Lord says. In the quiet moments He comes to bring us healing and relief. I believe the tears we shed are used redemptively to help others. And unlike the efforts of some, our pain and what we’ve survived gives us a special connection to people. Don’t be afraid to let people see your pain. It may be the very thing that saves them.
Lord, use our tears to help others, in Jesus’ name.
Art by Cody Witham, codywitham.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Cody, and God bless you.