Have you ever just wanted to cry? I think having a good cry releases emotions we have pushed aside. There are benefits that we can experience by being at a place where we recognize that all is not lost even as we shed tears. I know shedding a few tears is going to do some good.

Well, I was at that place this past week. There was not a single incident that brought me to that point it was a culmination of many things.

Just days before I had gone to the emergency room of a local hospital for treatment, while the visit was necessary my reason for being there was non-life-threatening and all is well. That experience involved all ages from four a month old to the elderly. Various ethnicities and even some prisoners being taken to receive care, with all of the rest of us, while they were in law enforcement custody.

Additionally, I got some upsetting news about finances, health, deaths, and the end of long term relationships from those around me. I have connections with many that ask me for prayer and my heart is yielded to situations where I am prompted to pray.

As a life coach I am exposed to information about the inner workings of many lives. The nature of my work requires me to hold things confidentially and assist my clients. I am blessed to have such open access to the lives of others. I am well aware of the responsibility that comes with that access.

Even so, I came to a mindful desire to have a good cry. I got tissues, stretched out on my living room floor and began to talk to God. I knew that I had to talk to my friend.

There was no flood of tears as I expected but cry I did. I thought of the book of Lamentations. Thought to have been written by the prophet Jeremiah, it expresses the puzzlement of the writer regarding the impact of sin in the world.

Certainly living in the city of Los Angeles or having access to a computer in any part of the world allows anyone with eyes to see the results of sin in this world. Seeing the truth of the times in which we live are surely enough to cause someone to have a good cry. No matter what your gender, age, ethnicity, job description, socio-economic status or spiritual convictions the shedding of tears is part of us, indeed innate.

From the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation the word cry appears 181 times in the King James Version. It speaks of men, women, children, angels and even Jesus shedding tears. In John 11:35 upon arriving after the death of Lazarus, “Jesus wept.” I believe part of the reason there was a showing of those tears was compassion for those that loved Lazarus.

Purposeful Watering

In my quiet time there on the floor with the tears several things came to me. They were:

1. Talk to God
2. Write in my journal
3. Share what I learned

First – Talk to God. There may be some in your inner circle that you feel comfortable talking with about everything. Equally true there are topics that they may not be able to help you with or you may be trying to process an encounter you had with them. All reasons that talking with God will allow you to process and get insight from Him on the situation. God is more justly our first resort rather than our last.

Second – Write in a journal. This practice helps me to process the feelings within a day of the occurrence. Later it serves as a reminder for me of things I have learned about myself and others. In addition it helps me to mentally rehearse God’s goodness as He was able to bring me through another situation.

Third – Share what you learned. When I have an opportunity to show empathy to someone else I can truthfully express that I have been there, walking in similar shoes. I can encourage them with what I have learned or I can share for their future reference. When we go through something it is not just for us.

When you feel like you need to have a good cry, take the time to apply those three steps and cause those tears to water seeds of relationship between you, God and others.

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”