Blog Post #4

Happy Saturday, church family! 

As I read over the word choice of my greeting, I am realizing that for some of us, it may not feel like a happy Saturday. There are many of us who are bringing desperate prayers before the Lord during these 21 Days, many of us who are hurting. 

It’s not news to anyone that our world is hurting right now. Between events in Ukraine and other war-torn nations, bleak headlines, continuing disunity in American politics and Christianity, and personal friends and family members who are sick or struggling, it can become overwhelming. What do we pray for? Where do we start? 

There was a recent season in my life when I learned an important lesson about intercession. I had taken in too much of the world’s pain without properly dealing with that pain, and I needed to grieve. I felt an overwhelming urge to find a private place in my home to just cry. As I did so, I experienced a sweet unity with God and felt confirmation in my spirit that I was sharing His heart for the world. By setting aside time to cry (something that felt like a waste of time at first), I was actually aligning myself with Him in a powerful way, and simultaneously aligning myself with those who were hurting in the world. 

I was reminded that our tears can be prayers. Many times God prompts us to pray with specific words, but we know  He also prompts us to pray non-verbally, with “groans that words cannot express,” or even with tears. 

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT). 

God collects our tears and keeps record of them! He welcomes them in the same way He welcomes our verbal prayers and concerns. I think of the woman in Luke 7 who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. Tears can be healing sources of both worship and prayer; they are a sign of intimacy with whomever we share the with. When we open ourselves up to cry with the Lord, we entrust Him with our heart and He is always faithful to give us His heart in return. 

I just want to encourage all of us that if we are feeling overwhelmed by the world’s pain or by the pain in our own lives, it’s okay to cry about it. Not only is it okay, it can be productive. God will always use time spent with Him to re-form us into His image, and to reform the world around us. 

So grateful to be praying with you this week! You are loved. 

-Hannah